Re: OT - What if the doctors...(NPR Fiction)

On Sep 17, 7:57 pm, "JanOrm...@xxxxxxx" <JanOrm...@xxxxxxx> wrote:

<snip>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the beat goes on......John.

Jan Eric Orme
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=506309

Grim Prognosis From Doctors Opposed To Health Care Plan
By TERRY JONES, INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Posted 09/16/2009 07:07 PM ET

Doctor opposition to health care overhaul proposals is broad and deep,
revealing concerns not just about soaring costs, declining care,
possible rationing and a lack of limits on malpractice suits, but also
about government competence and motives, detailed responses to a new
IBD/TIPP Poll show.

As reported Wednesday, 65% of the 1,376 practicing physicians who
responded to a mailed questionnaire over the last two weeks said they
opposed health care plans that have emerged from the administration
and Congress. Just 33% supported them.

Perhaps the most shocking result: 45% of these professionals said they
would consider closing their practices or retiring early if the
reforms now under consideration were enacted.

The questionnaires were sent out Aug. 28 to 25,600 doctors nationwide.
The sample was purchased from a list broker, Lake Group Media of Rye,
N.Y. One hundred of those responding were retired, and their answers
were not included in the final results.

Our poll also invited those taking part to tell us the reasons why
they didn't like the health care reforms — or, in the minority of
cases, why they did. The outpouring of written responses IBD received
— about 1,300 in all — was stunning.

Doctors Speak Up

Those in Washington would do well to pay attention to the 65% who
don't like reforms, whom we will quote today. (Tomorrow we will give
space to the minority of doctors who support reform.)

These opposing physicians' opinions will be significant for the
upcoming debate over health care, since any program that's passed will
depend greatly on the support of doctors.

That includes the new plan unveiled Wednesday by Sen. Max Baucus. This
plan, which Baucus estimates will cost an estimated $856 billion over
10 years, includes health care "co-ops" to compete with private
insurers, and will likely require large tax hikes on many Americans —
including the middle class.

Given the proliferation of plans, we wondered: What is it that bothers
doctors so?

21 Objections

In combing through the responses, we identified no fewer than 21
separate issues doctors felt either weren't addressed or weren't
solved by proposed reforms. The issues are many, but boil down to
three big categories: costs, controls and courts.

One complaint was common: Doctors feared any government reform would
turn into a kind of "socialized" medicine. Some were quite blunt: "I
oppose socialism in all its forms or incarnations ... government
should be shrunk drastically, not expanded."

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., leaves
his health care news conference on Capitol Hill. Baucus' $856 billion
plan drew criticism from liberals and Republicans. AP View Enlarged
Image
"No government 'option' or government-run program should be allowed,"
said another doctor. "It would ultimately lead to total government
takeover of health care, with high costs and low quality."

The strong convictions of some came from a direct experience with
socialism. "We came from a socialist country and we know socialized
systems do not work!!!" wrote one emphatic physician.

Still others were adamant that any nationalized health care scheme —
and a significant number see the plans emerging from Congress and the
White House as just that — is against basic American constitutional
law.

"This unconstitutional plan gives sovereignty over our bodies to
unelected, unaccountable, ignorant bureaucrats," went one response
along these lines. "Every governmental micromanagement of our lives
has failed in its objective, and caused moral and economic
bankruptcy."

But constitutional concerns were eclipsed by anger over the lack of
tort reform — mentioned by hundreds of respondents. Physicians say
they practice too much defensive medicine, which drives up costs, just
to protect themselves from lawsuits.

The costs of this are enormous, though hard to precisely quantify.
Estimates range from $100 billion to $200 billion in total added costs
to both doctors and patients. Doctors in some specialties, such as
neurology, pay as much as $250,000 a year for malpractice insurance.

Fear Of Lawyers

A number of our respondents used identical wording for why they didn't
support health care reform: "No tort reform."

"The more lawsuits against doctors, the more testing is done," said
one respondent, uttering a frequent complaint. "The government never
interferes with lawyers — why? They are afraid, or they're all
lawyers."

A big issue for others was efficiency. They fear government control
would mean massive waste and interference with their practices. "All
the efficiency of the post office, all the compassion of the motor
vehicle bureau," quipped one doctor.

Another looming worry: exploding costs. With expectations that the
government will spend upward of $1 trillion on reform, doctors fear
the inevitable controls, including rationing, that will come to rein
in costs down the road.

"A government-run plan will be too expensive and will not be
effective," according to one physician. "The plan will expect doctors
to take a lower fee for a given service. The private plans will
follow, and outpatient medical services will be forced out of
business."

This is "typical government, throwing trillions of dollars in one
swoop to 'fix' the system," said another. "They need to slow down,
dissect the system and fix it properly."

"There will be mandated protocols, long waits, rationing of care,
infringement upon a doctor's right of conscience, abortion paid for by
(tax) dollars, with eventual euthanasia and infanticide," said still
another, voicing the ethical concerns of many.

The federal government's notorious lack of success in running
enterprises of any size, let alone one as big and complicated as a
health care system — was also cited frequently.

"Health care in the VA (Veterans' Administration) shows how well
government can render care," said one. "It is disgraceful."

Gov't Can't Run Diddly

Others pointed to the troubles with government-run Medicare, Medicaid
and Social Security, which are all verging on insolvency and now
account for an estimated $51 trillion in unfunded liabilities over the
next half-century.

Government-funded rail was a favorite foil — so was the Cash for
Clunkers program. The House health bill "is 1,200-plus pages of
miniature and legalese," joked one eye-sore physician. "Please recall
130 pages of forms for each 'cash for clunkers' transaction!"

"Government control? Give me a break," said another. "Look what
they've done to Social Security, the Post Office, the bailouts, etc.
Medicare and Medicaid are not paying doctors enough, and the paperwork
to participate is huge."

Other irate docs agreed: "Government has proven unable to manage many
other programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and the postal
service. Why do they think they can (run) a health care program?"

"Government health care will wipe out the private insurance
companies," said another. "Most of the doctors in private practice
will give up ... because of a low reimbursement from the government.
The Medicare, Medicaid program is a good example of government-run
health care."

Still others railed against what they saw as the real villains:
insurance companies. Anger at insurance companies, which are now the
main brake on health care costs, was plentiful.

"Between the government and insurance companies, I now only collect
28% to 30% of billed charges. No other business can function at that
rate," this doctor added.

As many noted, all of the plans now being discussed would require
massive tax hikes — and debt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the beat goes on.

Jan Eric Orme



.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: ObamaCare: Kiss Your Access Goodbye
    ... I don't think most people have a problem with improving health care ... unfortunately, I don't recall where and didn't save, that the Government ... you would still have a choice of your more expensive plan ... is that the government is not interested in competing with the private ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Hillary
    ... "Our bills" are generally bills I strongly oppose. ... would support the Mass plan or not, I don't know enough about it. ... The transition alone to a government system would be disastrous; ... Why tax something totally unrelated to health care? ...
    (rec.music.gdead)
  • Re: 85% of Americans are satisfied with their health care coverage
    ... individuals using health care services to be part of the solution. ... desires that the government give people what they need ... ... know that the president wants more Americans to have "health care" available ... president's "plan" want no government involvement ... ...
    (rec.gambling.poker)
  • Re: ObamaCare: Kiss Your Access Goodbye
    ... I don't think most people have a problem with improving health care ... I recall reading recently an article, which unfortunately, I don't recall where and didn't save, that the Government plan would rely heavily on quality care. ... Fact remains, the government plan would require the insurance companies to compete, and that's what they don't want to do. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: OT : Mr.President, What Happens When succPrivate Companies and Govt Compete?
    ... demonstrates there's no place for the government in health care. ... I expect government mandated health care to be similar and I don't see why ... to the post office or UPS or any other private shipper. ... employer's plan or buy your own private insurance. ...
    (rec.gambling.poker)
Loading