tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post2981353884835899336..comments2023-08-21T02:57:37.362-05:00Comments on Dr. Wes: The Massachusetts AftermathDrWeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-75219472751823291952010-01-21T20:07:51.877-06:002010-01-21T20:07:51.877-06:00Now I get it!
You want transparency of costs; not...Now I get it!<br /><br />You want transparency of costs; not transparency in the political process. All sounds good to me. Can't find anything out regarding costs in most instances until you get the insurance claim form, which is after the fact. <br /><br />But alot of health care is not subject to cost comparisons even in the best of situations. It would help in some respects, but once Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-65265266209504561522010-01-21T18:33:14.281-06:002010-01-21T18:33:14.281-06:00Keith-
" ...how would transparency solve thi...Keith-<br /><br /><i>" ...how would transparency solve this argument and how would this so called transparency manifest itself?</i><br /><br />When I speak of transparency, I am not speaking of transparency of the legislation (even though this, too, is nearly impossible to comprehend as a single paragraph of the legislation weaves its way through Social Security laws, IRS statutes, and a DrWeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-20645943155911729002010-01-21T15:25:28.422-06:002010-01-21T15:25:28.422-06:00Wes,
I don't know. Seems like there is alot ...Wes,<br /><br />I don't know. Seems like there is alot of waste in the Meidcare program. And as I keep teling you, the rest of the civilized qorld seems to get better health results than us for half the cost.<br /><br />At any rate, how would transparency solve this argument and how would this so called transparency manifest itself?Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-71957475461756930772010-01-21T13:26:29.352-06:002010-01-21T13:26:29.352-06:00Keith-
We are talking about practical ways to ins...Keith-<br /><br /><i>We are talking about practical ways to insure a greater portion of our population and bring payment reform that is driven by quality rather than quantity.</i><br /><br />Insuring a greater portion of our population is fine, but I fail to see where quality will not be affected when we plan to insure those people by also cutting $500 <i>billion</i> from our current Medicare DrWeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-15645012988152598822010-01-21T10:22:56.798-06:002010-01-21T10:22:56.798-06:00Wes,
What transparency do you want? The health c...Wes,<br /><br />What transparency do you want? The health care legislation is posted on line for all to read! <br />We know the deals that have been done to garner the last votes. I can't disagree that it would be nice to have some idea of costs within the health care system, but we are not talking in this legislation at this stage about cost cutting measures (the cardiology cuts and Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-13828872110873018102010-01-20T16:12:33.441-06:002010-01-20T16:12:33.441-06:00@CriticalCareRN-
Your point on what is "spen...@CriticalCareRN-<br /><br />Your point on what is "spent" vs. "costs" is important. Thanks. But the "costs" should be made to come in line with what is "spent," in my view.<br /><br />Case in point: Today, I had a patient describe how he was charged a fairly high amount from one hospital system for a Holter monitor. He was surprised at the "charge&DrWeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-45134201802643249932010-01-20T15:11:19.145-06:002010-01-20T15:11:19.145-06:00(continued)
() States regulate health insurance co...(continued)<br />() States regulate health insurance companies in detail. This political control has led to deals with insurance companies, medical suppliers, and particular provider groups. This increases medical costs and the cost of insurance. All insurers in a state must cover the same things, removing price competition.<br />-- Insurance companies bargain to be one of a few favored providersAndrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-29748158171350497892010-01-20T15:10:08.691-06:002010-01-20T15:10:08.691-06:00The problems in health care have accumulated over ...The problems in health care have accumulated over time in response to bad government policy, and it is a mistake to attempt a "comprehensive reform" by applying three times the government policy to supposedly fix it.<br /><br />High cost is the problem that most people care about. It is unlikely that doctors "overcharge" more than other professionals. People observe that Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-85395495036426466282010-01-20T14:10:03.921-06:002010-01-20T14:10:03.921-06:00I do agree that there are things we need to change...I do agree that there are things we need to change to keep over-consumption, and unnecessary consumption, from being such a problem. <br /><br />But the thing that boggles me the most is that when we compare how much we "spend", not to mention our higher costs, with every other nation around the world, we must compare these things as well:<br /><br />- National obesity rates (Not only CriticalCareRNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-53362337693999400212010-01-20T14:02:52.431-06:002010-01-20T14:02:52.431-06:00I can't explain why Scott Brown won so decisiv...I can't explain why Scott Brown won so decisively here in Mass., but I can tell you that after his victory he commented that we don't need that health care bill here because over 90% of Mass. residents are already insured. He failed to mention the recent drastic jump in cost for those of us who have to buy our health insurance through the Commonwealth Connector. That's the kind of Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-92018019817990704842010-01-20T14:01:32.033-06:002010-01-20T14:01:32.033-06:00It seems to me that people often use the term &quo...It seems to me that people often use the term "cost" when the real idea is "spending". While I think both need to be addressed in reform, it seems like too often people say "cost" when they really mean "spending".<br /><br />For example, can anybody explain to me how tort reform in Texas caused "costs" to rise rather than "spending". CriticalCareRNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-89215805227492281442010-01-20T13:03:54.795-06:002010-01-20T13:03:54.795-06:00Keith-
You missed the first and most important po...Keith-<br /><br />You missed the first and most important point: transparency. <br /><br />If we don't begin to have tranparency of costs involved with every aspect of health care delivery in America and consumers don't know how much anything costs in our system, how can we even <i>begin</i> to have a discussion about where cuts to costs can be made?<br /><br />Also, remove the employer DrWeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-25467912826766077732010-01-20T10:57:15.893-06:002010-01-20T10:57:15.893-06:00People seem to talk in generalities about this leg...People seem to talk in generalities about this legislation which makes it difficult to know what changes they would concretely propose.<br /><br />My take is that there were three objectives to the legislation; 1)to correct some of the abuses of the insurance industry in respect to existing medical conditions and what many perceive as attempts to price sick people out of their insurance coverage Keithnoreply@blogger.com