Today is going to be heavy on health wonkery, as I'm at the AcademyHealth National Policy Conference. The first plenary came from Finance Chairman Max Baucus, who will oversee health reform in the Senate. The question with Baucus is always his commitment to reform. And this speech was crafted to allay those fears. "I believe this Congress has a duty to reform health care," he said. Seconds later, he returned to the point. "Getting health care reform this year is my top priority," he promised. "It's #1." A few paragraphs after that, he said that "in this business, we try to avoid using the word inevitable, but I've been around long enough to see the writing on the wall. Health reform is nearly inevitable." Much in the speech was standard to those following the issue. Of note, however, were Baucus's efforts to tie health care reform to the financial crisis. "True economic recovery cannot happen without heath reform," he said. "One estimate says that the cost of doing nothing about health care is around $200 billion a year. In fact, I believe were in a bubble right now. The health spending bubble. And we need to stop it." Also important were Baucus's comments on scheduling. "Health reform should be done early," he told a questioner. "This session, this Congress. Not next session, next Congress." There are many competing priorities, he admitted. But still, "nothing seems to resonate more with American families than health care." Baucus, as I rarely tire of pointing out, is the chief legislative player on health reform. As a member of the Senate, he serves in the body where the minority has maximal power to block health reform. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, he runs the committee with jurisdiction over health reform. He will write the first draft of the bill. He will set the schedule that decides when it's considered. His commitment is paramount to the success of health reform. And he seems committed. "Health reform," he concluded, "is our duty. It is our moral obligation. It just may turn out to be one of the most important things we ever do."
