As I am about to enter the Medicare world, I have faith that aging baby boomers can collectively do a lot to speed improvement in the healthcare system.  In fact, I believe we have an obligation!

 

When Tom Brokaw wrote about the “Greatest Generation”, he was talking about my parents, and the efforts and sacrifices they made to leave the world a better place for their children. When I think about our healthcare system and what will be said about my generation, I get embarrassed.

 

In addition to the disturbing Institute of Medicine data, the Commonwealth Fund reports the Unites States has some of the poorest health outcomes among industrialized nations at the highest cost, spending nearly twice the amount per capita on healthcare as the second most expensive country.  And even though we are finally creating more access to healthcare through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), those who have access to this high-cost care are often not helped, and too frequently, are hurt.  We can do better!

 

My generation helped create this mess, and we need to help fix it.