Saturday, October 03, 2009

Dear Doctor: You Will Be Salaried

From the Modifications to the Chairman’s Mark, America’s Healthy Futures Act of 2009, September 22, 2009, page 24:
– Insert a new bullet as follows: ―3. Promote care coordination between health care providers that transition health care providers away from fee-for-service based reimbursement and toward salary-based payments.
In case you were wondering what might be coming.

-Wes

Addendum: More from the Wall Street Journal Health Blog.

1 comment:

Andrew_M_Garland said...

When a country adopts "Single Payer" in one or another form, it has adopted "Single Employer". The influence of the payor, the government, directly or indirectly controls the pay, working conditions, practice standards, rules, and responsibilities of the workers being paid, the doctors, and everyone else in healthcare.

Doctors and healthcare have been placed under increasing government control for 20 years. Doctors and hospitals have adapted rather than protesting. It is understandable that the risks and costs of protesting always seem large compared to the good intentioned restrictions and regulations that are slowly imposed.

[sarcasm]
A free market is so messy, unplanned, and uncoordinated. It has to be filled with waste and duplication. Government control will be so much better, as the later statistics will prove.

The average guy hasn't yet seen government control close up, except in banking and auto manufacturing. Why can't knowledgable, fact-based, systematic government oversight bring community and efficiency to everyone?
[/sarcasm]

The Department of Work and Production

An encounter of an ordinary guy with a government agency that is going to make his profession more efficient by saving or increasing his salary.

Excerpt:
==========
Joe: Will I still work for Acme International?

Official: You will physically work there, or somewhere else where you are most needed, but your work standards and pay will be coordinated through your professional license. All accountants will now be federally licensed, for the security of the country and for efficiency. The high, hidden costs of accounting must be reduced if we are to prosper as a nation. I'm sure you agree.

Joe: Well, I, uh . . .

Official: Good. You will be pleased with the changes in your compensation. First, we are going to raise your salary 20% in the amount that you either save or receive.

Joe: A 20% raise is great. What do you mean by "save or receive"?
==========