Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent and host of What the Health? from KFF Health News, spoke with Drew Altman, president and CEO of KFF, about the prospects for a national debate on controlling health care costs, according to a March 19 interview.
Altman said that as the midterm elections approach, the cost of health care remains the public's top economic concern. He noted that while previous reforms have expanded insurance coverage for many Americans, they have not solved issues related to affordability.
"The U.S. health system poses two major problems: Americans' concerns about how to pay for their own medical care, and the significant share of national spending it consumes," Altman said during the discussion.
Rovner and Altman also addressed how changes in policy—such as cost-cutting measures implemented by the Trump administration—have affected states, employers, and individuals. They reflected on lessons learned from earlier government reform efforts.
This conversation marks the beginning of a new interview series titled "How Would You Fix It?" In future episodes, Rovner will speak with various experts and decision-makers about their ideas for improving the health care system. An abbreviated version of this interview is scheduled to air on What the Health? from KFF Health News. Readers can find Altman's "Beyond the Data" columns—including his piece "Our Darwinian Approach to Health Care Costs"—online.
