Health Reform "Essential For Budget"

Comprehensive reform of the health care system, with health care cost rises kept to the same level as the rest of the economy, is the only way to clear the US federal budget by the year 2003, according to the annual report of the White House council of economic advisers, published last week. Council chairwoman Laura Tyson said that Republican Congressional leaders' proposal to balance the budget through constitutional changes is not the right approach, and she added that the next policy goal after the budget should be health care reform.