Book Review: "Skin in the Game"

"Skin in the Game" is about fixing the broken health care system in the United States and the first thing I noticed about the book was the praised it was receiving from people like Mark Hurd of Hewlett-Packard, one of America's top CEOs and biggest employers. Hurd called it "pragmatic and refreshing," these are not adjectives one normally associates with health care reform--which despite being pushed back by the housing crisis and war in Iraq remains one of the top political issues in the country. And fixes won't come easy. Not just because of entrenched players but also because if its sheer size. According to the book, there are 1.5 trillion claims made each year , 15% of which are lost somewhere in the system. The process isn't just big, it's very structure seems designed for maddening layers of paper shuffling. The book highlights this by asking how strange it would be if basic health care practices were applied to other industries:

Imagine you go to Macy's to buy a tie or blouse. You want to pay for the item, but the price isn't marked. You ask the salesperson, who says, "Sorry, we have to mail you the bill." You insist you want to pay right now, and the salesperson's manager says, "We just can't do it that way. The price is different for different people, and we don't know what your credit card company or bank will allow us to changer you." Four to eight weeks later you get the bill, but you have no idea if you've been charged the right price...

Reading this both highlights how broken the system is and how much a common sense approach could help. Hammergren is the CEO of McKesson Corporation, a significant health care provider; a position that gives him an insider's view of what is wrong but also one that provides ammunition to critics who will wonder if this book wasn't written to support his company's point of view.

In addition to approaching the topic from a "big picture" perspective, "Skin in the Game"addresses how individuals can get the best possible care under the current system. The 170 or so pages is surprisingly easy to read and possibly a perfect book to take with you to your next doctor's appointment as an alternative to the month's old "Newsweek" and "People" magazines while you wait to be seen.

Amazon: Skin in the Game: How Putting Yourself First Today Will Revolutionize Health Care Tomorrow