(Archived document, may contain errors) OPEN SEASON FOR AMERICA? A SYMPOSIUM ON THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM W alton Francis Author of CHECKBOOK's Guide to Health Insurance Plans for Federal Employees - Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D. Deputy Director of Domestic Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation James Morrison Morrison and Associates The Van Andel Center The Heritage Foundation Washington, D.C. November 9, 1992
Growing up in Chicago, it seemed everyone knew the route to a safe, secure future: Get a government job. Such jobs offered lower pay but greater security; once on the payroll it was virtually impossible to get fired from a government job.
Projections of Medicare's future debt obligations are staggering.Even without any prescription drug benefits, current participantswill be owed $13 trillion. New generations, whose taxes should bepaying off current obligations, will impose another $25 trillion indebt to the system. Reformers should consider adopting features ofthe Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP), whichemphasizes consumer choice and competition among health plans andhas successfully controlled costs for decades.
To develop true Medicare reform, the Administration and Congressneeds a clearer set of illness-specific, beneficiary-leveldata-particularly for the oldest and sickest Medicare patients.This will enable Medicare officials to focus on this populationthrough a cost-effective case management approach.