President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address outlined the administration’s plan to reduce health care costs for Americans, including lowering health insurance premiums and expanding the $35-a-month cap on insulin costs to anyone who needs it. He boldly declared that cuts to Medicare and Social Security are off the table, and said he would veto any attempt to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act or institute a national ban on abortion.
As a practicing family physician, I am always pleased to hear about ways to reduce the cost of commonly prescribed medications and increase the chances that patients will receive the high-quality care they deserve. High health care costs disproportionately affect lower-income individuals, including many in racial and ethnic groups. The. U.S. is in dire need of more equity in health and health care, and I believe the president’s plan is a step toward ensuring that every American has the opportunity to access high-quality, affordable care regardless of where they live, their race, or socioeconomic status.
As a clinical informaticist, however, I must say that the solutions Biden proposed do not address one of the most significant drivers of administrative waste in the U.S. health care system — health care data.
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