SEARCH THE CONNECTION:
The Connection is an open conversation, a group blog, and a nonpartisan effort to spark a rich discourse on fundamental values in health reform. Anyone can submit a post, and a selection of posts will appear here, on the Health Affairs blog, and in an upcoming volume.
“Values can be wielded like cudgels to batter your opponents. That, unfortunately, has been all too common in recent political discourse. But values worth taking seriously — including all the values addressed in this collection of essays – are far more subtle, multifaceted, and interesting ideas that can cross political boundaries.”
Tom Murray, in his introduction to the collection
In this essay set, eleven authors each examine a different foundational value, and what its policy implications are if we take it seriously. The essays show how taking values seriously can help us navigate the political challenges inherent in healthcare reform: balancing coverage for all with individual responsibility, why stewardship of our health care resources is a question of values, and how lack of access to health insurance impacts liberty.
You can view the original essays individually and the full collection on the Hastings Center’s website here. We’ve also included the essays on this blog: