Is there Health Care Reform in Your Future?

To Be or Not To Be, That is the Question;
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mission to suffer
The regulations and congressional acts of outrageous politics,
Or to take the balance sheet against the sea of credit troubles
And by opposing end them. To rest – to sleep,
No more; and by a sleep to mean we end
The heart-ache of a thousand budget cuts and layoffs
That administration is heir to: ‘tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To end the senseless war;
To sleep, perchance to dream of a former time –
Ay, there’s the rub:

The above, though poorly transposed from Bill S. however, describes the results of a recent survey from a small panel of notables in the field of healthcare asking if they believe meaningful federal healthcare reform will actually happen this year. The majority indicated a firm belief that reform will crash on the rocks before we hit the summer (July) recess. Neither fiery debate nor the ramrod of reconciliation can result in reform according to the survey responses. Interestingly enough, of all the respondents a few (less than 30 % indicated reform will happen. Yet of these optimists most felt that reform will come via the parliamentary maneuverings of budget reconciliation…not much confidence that meaningful debate would actually yield thoughtful reform.

So, what do we make of this? Charge ahead and take to the sea with your healthcare venture as the domestic issues are far from clear. Even if reform does happen, promulgating regulations and the inevitable ‘adjustment’ period means that we are several years out from reform (again!).