Health Policy Expert: Public-Private Efforts Needed In Future Pandemics

The best way for the U.S. to prepare for a future pandemic is one that combines private-sector leadership with government action.

That was the word from Dr. Mark McClellan, founding director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. McClellan discussed lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic during a Tuesday session of America’s Health Insurance Plans’ National Conference on Health Policy and Government Health Programs.

The nation is emerging from COVID-19 but must be prepared for a future pandemic, McClellan said. Public-private collaboration is needed to improve population health while addressing disparities in how health care is accessed among various population groups.

“I don’t see support in Congress for big spending on health infrastructure right now,” he said. “In the meantime, the best path forward is one that recognizes there are some incremental steps we can take now. It’s not an easy path forward to a better public health system and better health capacity in the U.S., but there are a lot of opportunities to do better if we keep building on the successes we have seen.”

Although the U.S. is seeing “the worst part of COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror,” McClellan said the virus is still with us. “It means we’re in a better place now. We have ways to get COVID-19 under control with vaccines and treatments.”

The challenging in keeping ahead of COVID-19, he said, “is not just having the systems in place but having the systems in place to get them to people who will benefit from them the most. And to do it in the way that brings people along. We need to help people understand the risks and benefits of vaccines and treatments. Just because they were developed quickly doesn’t mean they are risky.”

McClellan said the U.S. population is still at risk of a potentially serious infection because of vaccination rates. He said the overall COVID-19 vaccination rate in the U.S. is about 65% with about 25% of those who were eligible for a booster shot actually getting one. The vaccination rate among children aged 5-18 is even lower, he said.

He also called for more availability of oral antiviral treatments and increased access to testing as ways to keep ahead of COVID-19.

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at Susan.Rupe@innfeedback.com. Follow her on Twitter @INNsusan.

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Susan Rupe is editor in chief, magazine, for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at susan.rupe@innfeedback.com.