Clarifiying health care? Set expectations to "stun".

Unless you're sick or dying, health care is boring. The media knows this, and that's why today's unprecedented opportunity to fix our broken system has devolved into a debate about everything other than health care.

Take a look at this week's "Health Care Special Report" print edition of TIME Magazine. The magazine committed a remarkable 10 of its total 68 pages to health care. Great. But now read those pages. Of 80 total paragraphs, only 8 discuss actual policy (10 if you stretch things), and only 1 of the many proposals passing through government is called out by name (The Wyden Bill).

In the picture below, I've indicated those paragraphs that specifically address a piece of health care legislation:

Less than 10% of TIME Magazine's coverage of "health care" addresses specific legislation passing through Washington. No wonder "the American People" are confused and frustrated.

TIME starts its coverage by saying, "The more the public hears, the less it seems to understand." Then it proves it:

There's a long introductory piece explaining that Americans' patience with healthcare reform is waning and warns of a coming 'backlash'. There's a meaningless survey on what our impressions are of health care. (How can we know without any of the facts?) There's an exclusive interview with President Obama that focuses on how hard this is and how much he admires HMO Kaiser-Permanente. There's a "one-stop graphic guide" that is neither graphic nor accurate nor insightful, and then there's an extended opinion piece by Joe Klein on why it's difficult to make decisions in a capitalist democracy.

There is not one article identifing the actual proposals passing around Washington, nor any real attempt to explain what the pieces of the puzzle are. In other words, if you are interested in what government is thinking about doing and what impact it will have on your life (the kinds of things that might help you decide what you're for and against), you'd have to go elsewhere. The trouble is, "elsewhere" is saying the same, and quoting from the same surveys.

No wonder we're losing patience. Obama's popularity isn't taking a hit because of what his administration is talking about; he's losing popularity because we don't know what he's talking about.

Enough rant. Now I'm going to put my money where my mouth is.

I claim we can solve any problem with a picture. I can't think of any better chance to prove it. I spent yesterday with my colleague Tony Jones (a Johns Hopkins MD and MBA) locked in a room with a big whiteboard and every piece of health care legislation documentation we could find.

Using the visual thinking tools I discuss in my book, we came up with a series of simple pictures that go a long way towards explaining what "health care reform" is really about. And guess what: it isn't really healthcare. (It's about insurance. Look for the source of the money opposing all the plans and you'll see "private insurance" written all over. More on this asap.)

I'll complete the pictures this week and get them posted as soon as I can. My goal is to have them ready before congress gets back from vacation in two weeks, and then try to get them circulating in DC. If you'd like to help, let me know.

Comments

[christian louboutin heels]

This current economic crisis has proven that free markets will not solve society's problems, especially not in the health care industry, when the primary motivating factor of free markets is to maximize profits.

[mar]

There are many countries in South America that offer better health care to their citizens than we do at a fraction of the cost!

We blow billions of dollars on health care yet can't provide something as simple as a neighborhood first aid clinic, which has existed for decades in many countries.

The solution to the health care crisis is to offer publicly funded health insurance to everyone while letting people purchase private health insurance if they prefer to do so (option 3).

This will force insurance companies to lower their premiums in order to compete with government-provided insurance.

This option will mean paying more taxes, but obviously it will still be considerably cheaper than private insurance, and won't make people dependent on their employers for their health care needs.

This current economic crisis has proven that free markets will not solve society's problems, especially not in the health care industry, when the primary motivating factor of free markets is to maximize profits.

[Eric Wilbanks]

So, does this mean you've actually read the 1,000+ pages of legislation that our elected officials have not yet read?If true, that would make you more of expert on the issue than the folks who'll be voting! :-)

[Rion]

Dan, so glad to see this... I've been researching on my own because the media is so messed up, and the health insurance lobbyists are winning the shouting match, especially this month. But then you have to double-research every source to see who's paying to post the info that's been posted. :X ...it's such a challenge to find actual information that is digestible enough to spread to friends/family.

Anyways, found this, http://tinyurl.com/ngncjx - which has been my jump-off point for reading legislation... I know H.R. 676(!) and the Wyden Bill are still being promoted. Are all of these up for discussion?

And will we have napkin drawings for summarizing the proposals as well?!!

[Ed Pierce]

"There's a meaningless survey on what our impressions are of health care. (How can we know without any of the facts?)"

I couldn't agree more. I've always said that polls have no place in news -- they do not inform readers regarding their subject, they are simply a sampling of the opinion of an uninformed public.

Great work, Dan!

[Geoffrey]

I like that you used red to highlight the areas over Time's layout. Roger Black would be happy.

Looking forward to your chart. Dan Roam for President!

[Jeromy]

It looks like somebody in the government did this for you already.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx08_brady/health_plan_org_chart_jec.jpg

I'm sure you can do better.

[Loretta Donovan]

Hi Dan! I'm eager to help. I'm traveling August 12-18, but send me an e-mail and let me know what I can do. Thanks!

[Dan]

First draft visuals are done. I need to fact check and clean-up, then will post beta on Tuesday. Thanks all for offers of distribution help!
-Dan

[Conor McNulty]

Dan- spoke with you previously on the ASAE Leadership Academy call. Have been anxiously awaiting someone (aka- you) to tackle the healthcare reform issues w/visual thinking! would be happy to help get the images and pictorials circulating any time!! conor.mcnulty@gmail.com

[Jeff De Cagna]

Hi Dan! I'm happy to help. I'm on travel August 12-19, but send me an e-mail and let me know what I can do. Thanks!

[Dan]

dan - i read through the article when TIME arrived this past week and i checked out earlier than i would have preferred to admit - maybe the lack of specifics is why. looking forward to seeing your pictures posted, as far as the help you mentioned i'm happy to help out, but not sure how much the perspective of a professional developer in Houston ISD would be of value :)

[Debi Scholar]

Hi Dan,
You know this is my passion. If I didn't have two final client presentations, a trip to Barcelona next week and then a trip to the National Business Travel Association in San Diego...I would help you in a heartbeat.