The effect of health care reform on our economy was the subject of a panel discussion today at the University of San Diego.
The high cost of health care is a financial burden on U.S. companies and the need for health care benefits locks many people into jobs, making them less entrepreneurial. Those were two economic problems mentioned by USD economists. They disagreed on whether the health care package, approved this month, will improve the U.S. economy. Professor Stephen Conroy says increasing access to health care will, at least, make workers more mobile.
"Also one other thing is the notion of having more healthy workers," he said, "and what that can do to an economy to have a healthy workforce. And also reducing those catastrophic emergency room visits through more prevention is going to be helpful in terms of the economy."
Another panelist says if health care reform is costly the economy will suffer from higher taxes and higher interest rates.
