Learn from...America?

Many times it seems that we must compare America to other countries as a measuring stick. The latest occurrence has to do with the ongoing health care debate. The one country that seems to come up a lot is our neighbor to the north, Canada. A few countries in Europe have also been mentioned. Information has been out for and against the way that other countries seem to handle their health care. However, often times what goes unnoticed or more unmentioned is there are states in America that just might have system in tact that could be adapted to the national scene. One such state is Hawaii.

For 35 years now, Hawaii has required all employers to provide relatively generous health care benefits to any employee who works 20 hours a week or more. If health care legislation passes in Congress, the country as a whole may barely catch up to that. Barely that in mind, the President and federal government can learn a lot from what a state like Hawaii has been able to achieve. It might be an overused phrase sometimes, but a little bit truly does go a long way. With that said, the most important lesson to be learned, then, is even small steps taken to change the system can have lasting effects on health. In addition, once benefits are entrenched; taking them away becomes extremely difficult. Essentially, if a law is put in stone it is hard for it to be rebuked easily.

Worth mentioning in this debate is the cost aspect. I don't doubt that almost everyone would probably like to see the proper changes made, but the largest bracket of dissenters are against adding more money to the already large national debt. Hawaii is known to have expensive items and ranks near the top with food/drink products or gas, but when it comes to health insurance premiums they are nearly tied with North Dakota for the lowest in the country. Medicare costs per beneficiary are the nation's lowest. The United States as a whole doesn't rank in the top 10 in life expectancy, but Hawaii has the highest life expectancy in the whole country and their health care might be a reason. A perfect example would be the fact that they have the nation's highest rate of breast cancer, but also the lowest death rate from it.

One might then ask how efficient they are or how they got that efficient. A big reason might the fact that roughly 90% of the population is given relatively generous benefits, patients then stay healthy and health providers save money and have money and motivation to innovate.

During the summer, when the debate when truly waging; the Massachusetts example of state health care was brought up. Many who oppose the health care initiative in Congress point to the fact that Massachusetts is having to deal with the costs of health care three years after they launched the health care initiative in the state. But as Hawaii shows, overhauling health insurance before changing the way care is provided could work in the long run. The more people that are given access to care; hospital and insurance executives in Hawaii say they have been able to address and innovate efficiencies. For example, top medical provides are using electronic medical records, which is something not seen throughout the rest of the United States. Furthermore, the Hawaii Medical Service Association recently offered the nation's only statewide system where anyone for a certain fee can talk via phone or email to the doctors of their choosing. No such communication barriers, which have been brought up in the debate at the national level.

Now to turn to the national level and what it could mean to states like Hawaii. Hawaii has it fairly good. Things aren't great, but if measures are taken that are too strong; they could have negative affects on Hawaii. It must be taken into consideration how each state runs their own individual health care programs. Take ideas from them; if they are good; and apply them to the national stage. Something this complex is difficult to access at times, but instead of always making this a U.S. v other countries; why not look around our states. Just because it isn't always in the spotlight being an island and all; doesn't mean it isn't just as important as any of the other 49 states. As NBC likes to, the more you learn the more you know. I implore others to look more into Hawaii as well as other states. It will give you a much better perspective.