Opinion : Pennsylvania health care reform

Rendell's new plan is a huge step in the right direction, but it does have a few problems that I can see.

1. It doesnt address the fact that Pennsylvania has the highest malpractice rates in the US. This does not help the cost of healthcare...

2. It doesn't make the new employer programs mandatory (see Massachusetts). Why pay "only $180" per employee when you can pay $0. I am confident the Eagles will win the superbowl before Walmart (or any retailer) decides to buy 2000 employees healthcare out of the goodness of its heart.

3. Most of these programs require a huge initial investment (e-records, error reporting, chronic care plans), especially if they plan on pushing cooperation with incentives. It is not clear how these will be financed in the near term.

This is an amazing plan however. The community pricing, statewide smoking ban, e-records, and chronic disease management are all innovative and necessary reforms.