"Entitlement Politics" describes partisan attempts to shrink the
size of government by targeting two major federal health care
entitlements. Efforts to restructure or eliminate entitlements as
such, and to privatize and decentralize programs, along with more
traditional attempts to amend and reform Medicare and Medicaid have
radically transformed policymaking with respect to these programs.
However, they have failed to achieve fundamental or lasting
reform.
Smith combines historical narrative and case studies with
descriptions of the technical aspects and dynamics of policymaking
to help the consumer understand how the process has changed,
evaluate particular policies and outcomes, and anticipate future
possibilities. His account intentionally goes at some length into
the substance of the programs, the policies that are involved, and
the views of different protagonists about the major issues in the
dispute.
One unhealthy consequence of politicizing Medicare and Medicaid
policy has been to separate public debate from the technical and
organizational realities underlying issues of cost containment or
program structure. Smith considers this development unfortunate,
since it leaves even informed citizens unable to evaluate the
claims being made. Ironically, strife over Medicare has complicated
the political and policy issues in American life. Only a serious
and genuine bipartisan effort bringing forth the best efforts of
both political parties--and some of the best industry leaders and
policy experts in the field--is likely to achieve genuine reform.
The more people and parties know about the history, politics, and
policies of these programs, the better our prospects for devising
workable, equitable, and lasting solutions. This volume leads the
way toward that understanding.
General
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