Comments on: Advice for President Obama’s health care reform plan http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Louishttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-112040 Louis Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:13:01 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-112040 In Spain we have the best public Health Care in the world because we pay as workers,since the first day of work,to the Social Security as part of our salary.It works and there is no deficit to support Public Hospitals and Doctors.Please think it over our experience since years. In Spain we have the best public Health Care in the world because we pay as workers,since the first day of work,to the Social Security as part of our salary.It works and there is no deficit to support Public Hospitals and Doctors.Please think it over our experience since years.

]]> By: Doc Stonehttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-111753 Doc Stone Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:31:42 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-111753 Any reform ought to respect those things that make America work: liberty, ownership, personal responsibility. No mandates, no coercion, no freedom from consequences for exercising that freedom. The out of control costs are due to too little personal accountability already. We also need to ditch the childish fantasy that there is a solution to every problem. I know what my obesity is doing to me and have a place to exercise, etc. I also buy individual insurance rated for that risk and so personally pay through the nose for the costs of that condition. I am still fat. Not every problem is going to be solved with the "right program."No matter what the government does people are still going to get sick and die. Being sick is still going to suck. People are still not going to like it. The ER is still going to be the repository of other unsolved social problems as it always has been. No matter how much "universal coverage" is written all over any bill and no matter how much money is sucked involuntarily out the pockets of the American people, there are still going to be people show up in need of care with no means, outside the "universal" system, and practicing medicine will, as it always has, mean sometimes not getting paid for our labor. Important that we retain the freedom to treat freely with those who can pay us. Likewise they should retain the freedom to insure or not insure as they see fit. Any reform ought to respect those things that make America work: liberty, ownership, personal responsibility. No mandates, no coercion, no freedom from consequences for exercising that freedom. The out of control costs are due to too little personal accountability already. We also need to ditch the childish fantasy that there is a solution to every problem. I know what my obesity is doing to me and have a place to exercise, etc. I also buy individual insurance rated for that risk and so personally pay through the nose for the costs of that condition. I am still fat. Not every problem is going to be solved with the “right program.”

No matter what the government does people are still going to get sick and die. Being sick is still going to suck. People are still not going to like it. The ER is still going to be the repository of other unsolved social problems as it always has been. No matter how much “universal coverage” is written all over any bill and no matter how much money is sucked involuntarily out the pockets of the American people, there are still going to be people show up in need of care with no means, outside the “universal” system, and practicing medicine will, as it always has, mean sometimes not getting paid for our labor. Important that we retain the freedom to treat freely with those who can pay us. Likewise they should retain the freedom to insure or not insure as they see fit.

]]> By: twawhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-111735 twaw Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:54:06 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-111735 The Executive Branch already has the authority and the ability to prove that it is up to the task of health care. Make the quality of care received at the IHS and the VA the envy of the rest of us. Proof is in the pudding. Until that happens, the rest is just words. Oh and Doc99, that is also the punch line for a sad but true Indian joke. The Executive Branch already has the authority and the ability to prove that it is up to the task of health care. Make the quality of care received at the IHS and the VA the envy of the rest of us. Proof is in the pudding. Until that happens, the rest is just words. Oh and Doc99, that is also the punch line for a sad but true Indian joke.

]]> By: Doc99http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-111718 Doc99 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:52:22 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-111718 "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the Government and I'm here to help.'" - Ronald Wilson Reagan “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the Government and I’m here to help.’” – Ronald Wilson Reagan

]]> By: paul miranda mdhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-111714 paul miranda md Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:22:08 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-111714 After years of disarray, it wil be a hard battle. Reform needs to happen from the medical school up. More incentives to place people in primary care. A better reimbursement for the primary care. the ability to direct care to a more cost effective source - ie not the emergency room as the safety net. I, too, believe a unified medical record would eliminate much over spending of repeat test, evaluations and the cost of doing nothing. I have been practicing 8 years in the ER now...the system is broke. I just don't know if the government has the tenasity to see reform through, or this will be another wash job! After years of disarray, it wil be a hard battle. Reform needs to happen from the medical school up. More incentives to place people in primary care. A better reimbursement for the primary care. the ability to direct care to a more cost effective source – ie not the emergency room as the safety net. I, too, believe a unified medical record would eliminate much over spending of repeat test, evaluations and the cost of doing nothing. I have been practicing 8 years in the ER now…the system is broke. I just don’t know if the government has the tenasity to see reform through, or this will be another wash job!

]]> By: Doc99http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-111675 Doc99 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:01:34 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-111675 "If you think health care is expensive now, wait until it's free." PJ O'Rourke “If you think health care is expensive now, wait until it’s free.”
PJ O’Rourke

]]> By: Donald Green MDhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/advice-president-obama-health-care-reform-plan.html#comment-111660 Donald Green MD Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:18:31 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40132#comment-111660 The approach you outline adds to the murkiness of the issue. It requires a more direct approach may be more effective. Some 40 million plus are without insurance with 18,000 per year lose their life unnecessarily because of it. It is destroying business and is a large cause of bankruptcy(over 60%). Call it what you will but without some National Health Plan, the costs will soar at astronomical rates. The present private industry tries to cover as many health people as possible. They use a top heavy model to achieve this, hiring many people who are not directly helping their subscribers. It is time for Medicare For All. Nothing less will even approach solving the way we pay for health care. The approach you outline adds to the murkiness of the issue. It requires a more direct approach may be more effective. Some 40 million plus are without insurance with 18,000 per year lose their life unnecessarily because of it. It is destroying business and is a large cause of bankruptcy(over 60%). Call it what you will but without some National Health Plan, the costs will soar at astronomical rates. The present private industry tries to cover as many health people as possible. They use a top heavy model to achieve this, hiring many people who are not directly helping their subscribers. It is time for Medicare For All. Nothing less will even approach solving the way we pay for health care.

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