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GUEST EDITORIALFinancing Healthcare Reform:A Novel and Workable ApproachAuthor: E. Marlowe Goble, M.D.Today, healthcare in the U.S. consumes 13 percent of our GrossNational Product (GNP). With healthcare costs projected toincrease 20 percent faster than the rate of inflation, by the year2020, more than 20 percent of our GNP will be spent in the healthcarearena.Future healthcare costs may be underestimated. Because ofexcellence in U.S. healthcare, 60 million soon-to-be-retired BabyBoomers will live beyond 80 years of age. Survival into this eighthdecade of life will pressure our healthcare system to continuallyimprove quality of life. Longer life, without maintenance of healthand vigor, will be unacceptable.I believe that the near-riotous reaction to President Obama’seffort to change the fixed direction of Healthcare (and the effortsof the six presidents prior) holds this fear in the balance…fear of alonger life without the American promise of a steady improvementin the ability of aging people to pursue happiness. Thepromise of longevity, without the increasing ability to care for itshealth challenges, becomes a prison.There exist four reasons why U.S. healthcare is great, and whyits future is so full of promise:1. Competitive Admission and TrainingHealthcare workers enjoy respect from the general populationfor their sacrifice. Healthcare workers literally give up theiryouth to be trained for this responsibility. Training exceedseducation, in that a trained healthcare professional performs atthe highest and most responsible level.2. Tort ReformIn the U.S., only a 20-year trained healthcare professional cansuccessfully perform under the confrontational legal examinationof our tort system. Medical doctors take responsibility forhuman care and measure outcomes objectively. The U.S. tortsystem will eliminate and embarrass any pretender.3. Medical InnovationNew procedures, devices, materials and understanding continueto improve healthcare. Innova-tion also rewards the inventorwith peer approval and financial gain. The incentives forhigh level research and development are correctly in place. U.S.citizens rely on a steady pace of improvement in healthcare toventure out into the risks of industry, sports, entertainment,military service, recreation, procreation and advancing age.4. Intolerance for Breeches of Human RightsAmerican ethics are based on egalitarian principles. Politically,our national laws protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.Religion and good sense insist on value and worth of thesoul. Therefore, care of each other’s health has become a normin this century.No sensible person or agency disagrees that we must find away to decrease the cost of healthcare. This sensibility also insiststhat the greatness of U.S. Health Care must not change.I believe there is a way to afford our present level of U.S.healthcare without changing what makes it great. The answer is toincrease our medical “Resources.” The Resource available to affectboth the quality and cost of healthcare is the utilization of retiringhealthcare workers.An Historical PerspectiveIn the ancient republic of Rome, in the days of Cicero and JuliusCaesar, a shortage of grain would periodically paralyze the government,causing prices to skyrocket, resulting in discontent andthreatening political chaos. Since the Senate could do little tochange the weather patterns of southern Italy, increased local productionwas not an answer. But a resource of grain had to befound or financial and political instability would result.Egypt was conquered for its grain, not its Queen.Thus, the resources of increased employment (soldiers) andincreased grain saved the economy and the republic.The acquisition of new resources is usually the reason for foreignimperialism. The resources of oil and natural gas eliminatethe need for state income tax in Alaska and Wyoming. Theresource of nanocomputer technology and information has proceededto increase worker productivity.continued on page 76 ORTHOPAEDIC PRODUCT NEWS • November/December 2009