Obama can make quick, modest gains on health care

The following editorial is from the Mercury News. It is copyrighted and I shall withdraw if objected to by the owners.

As a matter of fact, I believe some of should be done and done within a few days of Obama moving into the White House. I do have some reservations about electronic record keeping (given the dismal records that even credit card data is hacked everyday--can you see the loss of confidential medical data?)

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Editorial: Obama can make quick, modest gains on health care
Mercury News Editorial
Article Launched: 11/09/2008 08:01:00 PM PST

The hardest choices for Barack Obama in the weeks to come won't be deciding what to do in his first months in office, but rather what he shouldn't try to do.

In Friday's news conference, he implied he still hoped to tackle everything he'd promised. Bill and Hillary Clinton can tell him a thing or two about that. Their early, botched attempt to pass comprehensive health care reform buried the cause for 16 years. While Obama feels pressured to move quickly, rushing into this one could again set reform back. If he believes, as we do, that it's extremely important, he won't take the chance.

But without stirring controversy, the new president can make an immediate, substantial down payment on improving health care to keep faith with his supporters and improve the lives of millions of Americans. Here's how:

Expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover as many children as possible when it comes up for renewal in March. The program has broad support in Congress, but it was cut during its last renewal to win President Bush's signature. As more families lose insurance in this recession, providing health care for kids will grow in importance.

Authorize the federal government to negotiate bulk purchases of Medicare prescription drugs.

Bush opposed this, but the Veterans Affairs already does it with great success. Using the federal government's bulk purchasing power will reduce Americans' costs by
billions of dollars.

Accelerate Bush's wise push for electronic medical records, which will save lives as well as cut costs.

Obama's campaign succeeded largely because of his disciplined, intelligent approach to the task at hand. When he becomes president, the economy has to be his first, second and third priorities. When times improve, health care reform will fare better.
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