Straight Talk about Rationing
Authors: Arthur L. Caplan
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1995)

Editorials15 May 1995Straight Talk about RationingArthur L. Caplan, PhDArthur L. Caplan, PhDUniversity of Pennsylvania Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-122-10-199505150-00011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Among the many reasons given for the utter collapse of the Clinton administration's health reform initiative is the failure of that initiative to openly address the issue of rationing [1, 2]. The leadership of the Domestic Health Policy Task Force, including Ira Magaziner, firmly believed that explicit talk of rationing was political suicide. Critics of Hillary Clinton's task force insisted that attempting to sell the American public on a plan for reform that would rein in costs and expand coverage for the uninsured without acknowledging the necessity of some form of rationing was, at best, dishonest [1-3].Although there will ...References1. Gaylin W. Faulty diagnosis: why Clinton's health care plan won't cure what ails us. Harpers. 19 October 1993:57-64. Google Scholar2. Lamm RD. Infinite needs—finite resources: the future of healthcare. Camb Q Healthc Ethics. 1994; 3:83-98. Google Scholar3. Callahan D. Symbols, rationality, and justice: rationing health care. Am J Law Med. 1992; 18:1-13. Google Scholar4. Aaron H, Schwartz WB. Rationing health care: the choice before us. Science. 1990; 247:418-22 Google Scholar5. Caplan AL. If I Were a Rich Man Could I Buy a Pancreas? Bloomington: Indiana Univ Pr; 1992. Google Scholar6. Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Health Care and Medical Priorities Commission. No Easy Choices: The Difficult Priorities of Health Care. Stockholm, Sweden: Swedish Government Official Reports; 1993. Google Scholar7. Young EW. Rationing—missing ingredient in health care reform. West J Med. 1994; 161:74-7. Google Scholar8. Furuseth A. Will the health status change by voting in parliament? (Letter) Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 1993; 113:2142-3. Google Scholar9. Menzel PT. Oregon's denial. Disabilities and quality of life. Hastings Cent Rep. 1992; 22:21-5. Google Scholar10. Brandon K. Oregon health plan finds success but prognosis for '95 is uncertain. Chicago Tribune. 4 February 1995: 1, 8. Google Scholar11. Priester R, Caplan AL. For better or worse? The moral and policy lessons of Minnesota's healthright legislation. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal. 1992; 2,3:201-15. Google Scholar12. Brock DW, Daniels N. Ethical foundations of the Clinton administration's proposed health care system. JAMA. 1994; 271:1189-96. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Arthur L. Caplan, PhDAffiliations: University of Pennsylvania Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308Corresponding Author: Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3401 Market Street, Suite 320, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byThe Debate over Health Care Rationing: Déjà Vu All over Again?High technology near the end of life: Setting limitsCentral dimensions of clinical practice evaluation: efficiency, appropriateness and effectiveness - IIRationing in the ICU: Fear, Fiction and Fact 15 May 1995Volume 122, Issue 10Page: 795-796KeywordsElderlyHealth careHearingMotivationPatientsPerceptionPrevention, policy, and public healthPublic policySuicideTaxes ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 May 1995 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1995 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...