Drawing the Line: Test Bank by Philip M. Rosoff

Rationing in Healthcare: A Comprehensive Approach

Unlike the rest of the advanced industrialized world, the United States does not have a national healthcare system that guarantees that all residents have access to medical services. Over the past century, a number of unsuccessful attempts have been made to create and implement a unified, coordinated healthcare system.

The Need for Rationing

The continuing escalation in medical costs threatens the financial stability of the nation. In his first book, Rationing is Not a Four-Letter Word, Philip M. Rosoff argued that the only way to control costs is to impose rationing, and the only way to do so fairly is to have it apply to all.

A Transparent and Fair Process

The key to rationing is how it is accomplished. Rosoff discusses how to decide what should and should not be covered in a generous benefits plan for all. He considers a variety of ways this might be done and concludes that the most just approach is to utilize a transparent process in which experts and lay people develop a consensus on what should be covered by focusing on both clinical evidence of need and the effective and appropriate means to address those needs.