In a New York Times Guest Opinion essay AcademyHealth CEO Aaron Carroll highlights that even though Americans are rightly frustrated with the flaws in our health care system, the administration’s use of these criticisms to make drastic cuts to our science and research infrastructure is not likely to help.
"It’s already eliminated billions of dollars in lifesaving research and proposed a budget that would mean even steeper cuts to public health and medical research," Carroll writes.
The op-ed goes on to highlight that lawmakers are considering cuts to some of the very institutions that would improve our health care system and delivery — institutions like the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which studies what works in health care and how we can save money and prevent mistakes.
"Americans are right to demand more from their health care system. But if we tear down the parts that work — the research, prevention, regulation and education that have driven decades of progress — we won’t be left with something stronger."
Readers representing a variety of perspectives sounded off in the comments section. Many praised the op-ed for its clarity, nuance, and for grounding the debate in evidence and history. Others shared personal stories of frustration with high costs, insurance battles, and barriers to care, reinforcing how urgent reform feels at the individual level. Several readers argued for universal or single-payer systems, while others questioned whether incremental fixes could succeed. Other commenters pushed back, challenging aspects of the argument or defending parts of the current system. Taken together, the responses show that the op-ed struck a chord across perspectives, offering both affirmation and debate about what meaningful health care reform should look like.
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