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  • October 10, 2019
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review Digital Articles

The Case for the Public Option Over Medicare for All

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Richard Boxer
  • Format:Electronic
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Abstract

How can the United States better control its health care costs and quality and still achieve universal coverage? The strongest choice is not Medicare for All, which would eliminate private insurance; it’s the public option, which would allow people to choose from Medicare or private insurers. But the public option can only succeed in controlling costs and quality and achieving universal coverage if it is implemented without the financing gimmicks that characterize Medicare. In this article, the authors define the principles that can make the public option the legitimate and powerful competitor to private insurance firms and how this competition would expand access and improve cost and quality.

Keywords

Universal Health Coverage; Public Option; Medicare; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Cost Management; Quality; United States

Citation

Herzlinger, Regina E., and Richard Boxer. "The Case for the Public Option Over Medicare for All." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (October 10, 2019): 2–5.
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About The Author

Regina E. Herzlinger

General Management
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • A New Model for Funding Healthcare Innovation By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Duke Rohlen
  • Parexel: Scaling Up and Industry Dynamics By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ben Creo
  • Epic: The Future of Health Information Technology By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Brian L. Walker
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