Practically every candidate in the 2020 presidential election has spoken about it. No, not the president鈥檚 lat颅est tweet or even impeachment, but rather health care 鈥 or, more specifically, health care reform.
More than just a hot-button political topic, health care is a vital issue that affects all U.S. citizens, most of whom fail to grasp its complexities. The 鈥 a 51吃瓜网万能科大 partnership between the and the School of Public Health 鈥 is out to change that by engaging the community through a series of conferences and guest lectures with the foremost authorities in the field.
鈥淲e want to approach these important issues as ex颅perts, rather than as advocates,鈥 says , a Boyd professor, medical doctor, and the director of the Health Law Program. 鈥淥ur goal is not to promote one view or another, so much as to make sure that peo颅ple who attend can become informed and reach a better understanding of the issues. So whether it鈥檚 policymak颅ers or the public, they can be in a better position to reach their own conclusions.鈥
Boyd will host the 鈥溾 conference on March 12. The conference will welcome speakers who will address sev颅eral important health policy issues, including how to ex颅pand coverage to those who haven鈥檛 been reached by the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, experts will examine different proposals and rate them based on how likely they are to succeed in increasing access to health care. Other areas of focus will be the underinsured, who may have coverage but are still unable to afford care, as well as potential safety nets for uninsured individuals who may need to access emergency rooms when they fall ill.
鈥淗ealth care reform is a leading concern, and we鈥檙e seeing the candidates focus on what are the next steps,鈥 says Orentlicher, who co-directs the program with ad颅junct professor Max Gakh. 鈥淏ecause voters are going to make [health care] a high priority, we want to make sure we inform them as best we can. Once again, we don鈥檛 advocate any position; we鈥檙e advocates for best practices. We鈥檙e basing policy on the data 鈥 not having a particular ideology to promote.鈥
In the past two years, the Health Law Program has hosted conferences on two other critical health issues: the opioid crisis and cost containment.
The program not only en颅lightens Boyd students in the classroom but also provides a consistent, nonpartisan resource for the community. Orentlicher has partnered with such institutions as the Southern Nevada Health District in the effort.
鈥淲hen we鈥檙e trying to choose which speakers to bring in or which conference topic to pick, we think about the issues that are important for the public,鈥 Orentlicher says. 鈥淥pioids and health care costs were two big ones.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why you can鈥檛 become bored practicing [health law], because there鈥檚 always an important and interest颅ing new challenge. Plus, there鈥檚 just so much at stake be颅cause people鈥檚 lives are often on the line. If it鈥檚 not their life, it鈥檚 their health 鈥 so getting it right really matters.
