title: National health system reform.
abstract: The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) believes reform of the nation's health care system is long overdue and we are extremely pleased the debate on reform is now underway in the Congress. We share your concerns about the availability of quality health care coverage for all Americans, multiple choices of health care financing mechanisms in a open market setting, affordable and portable coverage options, and the elimination of fraud and abuse that siphons precious resources needed to assure the continued viability of the delivery systems. We have examined the current proposals in light of the above concerns and with the compendium of LSMS health care reform policies. Although some of the concepts are compatible with those policies the majority of proposed changes differ significantly from our vision of needed system reform. The conscious injection of a progressive pattern of more government control of the health care system, even the actual delivery of the care itself, is the most alarming and objectionable aspect of the proposals. Therefore, the Louisiana State Medical Society's key points of concern regarding the current proposals are detailed in this letter.
authors.forename: Roger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D035082:Federal Government; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D011057:Politics; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States