Tag Communications

Today, the head of the Congressional Budget Office, Doug Elmendorf, said that attaining a sustainable budget for the federal government will require the United States to deviate from the policies of the past 40 years in at least one of the following ways:

1. Raise federal revenues significantly above their average share of GDP
2. Make major changes to the sorts of benefits provided for Americans when they become older; or
3. Substantially reduce the role of the rest of the federal government relative to the size of the economy

You might think, as I do, that option one sounds like raising taxes…the battle cry of today’s political discourse in America. Option two looks a lot like the fighting words, “trying to cut my Medicare/Social Security”.  And, of course, preventing the successful option three is the very reason we have such a vibrant lobbying industry in this country.

Look - it’s hard to imagine a more humanitarian cause than to create (or allow for the development of) a sustainable healthcare delivery system that brings meaning to the statement “Healthcare for All”. It’s part of why I’m invested in the healthcare story and make my living by helping tell it.  As the nation sets its priorities on what to do with a shrinking purse, how do we ensure that healthcare’s most important mission isn't what ends up being sacrificed?

I believe we’re all going to be part of the solution – whatever it turns out to be – or we’ll just keep on reliving the problem.

Randy Jacobs (RJ) is the President of TAG Healthcare Marketing and very active in local and regional politics.