Michael Dukakis, the former governor of Massachusetts, recently said he's worried the state's healthcare industry is "futzing around" with accountable care organizations and said the government is letting history repeat itself by bringing HMOs and capitation back to life with a new name, according to a Boston Globe report.
Speaking at Harvard University, Mr. Dukakis said, "We've done it. ACOs and global payments. What did we used to call them? HMOs and capitation. We tried that, folks. It didn't work. Why are we doing it again?"
He said attempts to make the healthcare industry repair itself are a "colossal waste of time" and true change can only come from thoughtful and responsible regulation.
"Don't get me wrong. Nobody loves having to regulate. We had something called the rate-setting commission when I was governor...We treated hospitals as public utilities. They couldn't raise their rates a nickel unless they went to the rate-setting commission," Mr. Dukakis said, according to the report.
"So, we've got to get on with the business of regulating costs. And I think the least bureaucratic way to do it, rather than getting into setting elaborate fee schedules and so forth, is essentially to use the authority we have in this state under the state insurance statutes to regulate the rate of increase and the cost of premiums."
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Speaking at Harvard University, Mr. Dukakis said, "We've done it. ACOs and global payments. What did we used to call them? HMOs and capitation. We tried that, folks. It didn't work. Why are we doing it again?"
He said attempts to make the healthcare industry repair itself are a "colossal waste of time" and true change can only come from thoughtful and responsible regulation.
"Don't get me wrong. Nobody loves having to regulate. We had something called the rate-setting commission when I was governor...We treated hospitals as public utilities. They couldn't raise their rates a nickel unless they went to the rate-setting commission," Mr. Dukakis said, according to the report.
"So, we've got to get on with the business of regulating costs. And I think the least bureaucratic way to do it, rather than getting into setting elaborate fee schedules and so forth, is essentially to use the authority we have in this state under the state insurance statutes to regulate the rate of increase and the cost of premiums."
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