Shalala, Cleveland Clinic's Cosgrove weigh in on current health debate

Sep 8 2009

Two health care industry players have views about to handle the current overhaul debate.

NPR's Guy Raz interviews Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove who says people should take responsibility for their own health: "Dr. Cosgrove says Congress needs to focus on encouraging people to take responsibility for their own health. His argument: Healthy people need less medical care, and that saves money in the long run." Cogrove says: "I think the best thing that we can hope for is that we put incentives in place. And right now, I think there's no incentive for a patient to stay healthy" (All Things Considered, 9/6).

The Miami Herald reports on Donna Shalala, the current University of Miami president who was Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Clinton era. "Shalala remains optimistic that far-reaching changes are still possible. ... In a far-ranging interview, she said she believes there's a 'total difference'' between now and 1993, when 'it was all driven by the White House, with very little participation from Congress.' The Clinton proposal was crafted in a 'pretty secret, tightly held process.' Left outside, leaders of Congress and the healthcare industry quickly rejected the Clinton plan" (Dorschner, 9/8).