Comments on: Patients are the reason why Partners HealthCare is so strong http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/patients-are-reason-why-partners.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/patients-are-reason-why-partners.html/comment-page-1#comment-88899 Anonymous Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:03:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/12/patients-are-the-reason-why-partners-healthcare-is-so-strong.html#comment-88899 While the cost insulation distorts things, it is still a good thing that a facility with a reputation for superior quality can charge and get more. In a system where everyone is paid the same, the natural history is for a devolution of quality to an ever lower floor. In fixed price healthcare, bad care drives out good. While the cost insulation distorts things, it is still a good thing that a facility with a reputation for superior quality can charge and get more. In a system where everyone is paid the same, the natural history is for a devolution of quality to an ever lower floor. In fixed price healthcare, bad care drives out good.

]]> By: Doc99 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/patients-are-reason-why-partners.html/comment-page-1#comment-88898 Doc99 Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:53:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/12/patients-are-the-reason-why-partners-healthcare-is-so-strong.html#comment-88898 The same thing happened in NJ in 1999 when Robert Wood Johnson negotiated hard with Aetna, telling Aetna that they could take a hike with their paltry reimbursements. Ultimately, RWJ prevailed. Compared to physicians, who cannot collectively bargain with MCO's, the larger Health Systems have fared better up to now. Today's economic tsunami threatens them all. The same thing happened in NJ in 1999 when Robert Wood Johnson negotiated hard with Aetna, telling Aetna that they could take a hike with their paltry reimbursements. Ultimately, RWJ prevailed. Compared to physicians, who cannot collectively bargain with MCO’s, the larger Health Systems have fared better up to now. Today’s economic tsunami threatens them all.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/12/patients-are-reason-why-partners.html/comment-page-1#comment-88894 Anonymous Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:48:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/12/patients-are-the-reason-why-partners-healthcare-is-so-strong.html#comment-88894 No, patients <b>who are insulated from the extra costs by third party payers</b> are the reason Partners Healthcare is so strong.<br/><br/>The demand for Partner's high cost hospitals would drop significantly if patients had to pay the additional cost for these "brand-name" hospitals. No, patients who are insulated from the extra costs by third party payers are the reason Partners Healthcare is so strong.

The demand for Partner’s high cost hospitals would drop significantly if patients had to pay the additional cost for these “brand-name” hospitals.

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