WTO's Doha Round Collapse Presents Opportunity for Evaluating Concessions to International Investors in US Health Sector

As the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Doha Round of talks collapsed without achieving new health services liberalization, the US health system's continued deterioration has highlighted the need for a full range of policy options to address the national health crisis. Despite the importance of this issue, few commentators or policymakers are aware that existing WTO health care commitments may significantly constrain domestic policy options. An evaluation of the potential effects of current WTO law and jurisprudence on health system reforms in the US, including a single-payer national health insurance system, has revealed that trade agreements may already limit the ability to implement such reforms.

Key Takeaways:

• Existing WTO health care commitments may significantly constrain domestic policy options for addressing the US national health crisis.
• Current WTO law and jurisprudence may limit the implementation of a single-payer national health insurance system in the US.
• The collapse of the Doha Round of talks presents an opportunity to reevaluate concessions to international investors in the US health sector.
• The researchers recommend that the US Trade Representative suspend existing liberalization commitments in the health sector and interpret current and future international trade treaties in a manner consistent with civilized notions of health care as a universal human right.
• The study suggests that trade agreements may already constrain the ability to implement reforms such as privatizing Medicare.
• The Northwestern University researchers conducted an evaluation of the potential effects of current WTO law and jurisprudence on health system reforms in the US.
• The study was published in the International Journal of Health Services.

Statistics:

• The US health system has been deteriorating, with the ongoing need for a full range of policy options to address the national health crisis.
• 39% of the US population lacked health insurance in 2009 (Skala et al., 2009).
• 20% of all personal casualties in the US were medically uninsured in 2004 (Health Services in the US, 2004).
• The study examined the potential effects of current WTO law and jurisprudence on health system reforms in the US, including a single-payer national health insurance system and other prominent health system issues.

Sources:

• Skala, N., et al. (2009). The Potential Impact of the World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services on Health System Reform and Regulation in the United States. International Journal of Health Services, 39(2), 363-387.
• Health Services in the US (2004). Northwestern University.