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Hsaio: Vermont is using “band-aids addressing the symptoms not the fundamental problems”

by Press Release | March 19, 2010


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2010

CONTACT:
Alexandra MacLean, (802) 828-3806

Dr. William Hsiao, Architect of Universal Health Care Systems, Addressed Senate and House Health Care Committees

Montpelier, Vt – At the invitation of Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, Dr. William Hsiao, architect of Taiwan’s universal access health care system, testified before Senate and House Health Care Committees today.

“Our health care system is broken,” said Senator Peter Shumlin. “Too many Vermonters are either uninsured or underinsured – struggling to obtain coverage or struggling to pay ever increasing premiums. I invited Dr. Hsiao to Vermont to begin the process of bringing the change that is so desperately needed in our health care system.”

Dr. Hsiao is a Professor of Economics at Harvard and has guided successful reforms in a number of countries. One of these examples is Taiwan where in 1995, the Hsiao-designed universal health care system was implemented within one year, driving down the rate of uninsured from 45% to 5% and stabilizing health spending at 6% of GDP. Quality and outcomes have improved and life expectancy for the previously uninsured has improved dramatically.

Addressing the committee and a room full of advocates, Dr. Hsiao praised Vermont’s health care reform efforts as some of the most impressive in the country. However, Dr. Hsiao stated that these efforts are “band-aids addressing the symptoms not the fundamental problems.”

“It is time for substantive, system wide change,” said Senator Shumlin. “I would like to move Vermont forward by engaging Dr. Hsiao to design a universal health care system that can provide quality, affordable care to all Vermonters.”

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