... IN WHICH THE PHYSICIANS THEMSELVES HAVE FINANCIAL INTERESTS.
Such a regulation can only interfere with and limit care options available to Medicare Beneficiaries, and does so based on a paranoid, pernicious, cynical perspective that physicians are entirely self-interested, don't care about their patients, deliberately abuse their patients financially, may abuse their patients mentally and physically, and deliberately abuse the Medicare System.
If anything, it is the Medicare System that abuses physicians; it's pro-rated pay rates to physicians are excessively low. It must be remembered that physicians participate voluntarily in the Medicare Program. Reimbursement rates are so low that without question the majority of physicians participate, because they care and only because they care! There are always a few fraudsters, whose practices make national headlines and disgrace the medical profession. This is true in every profession -- even in politics....
The Senate should drop this pernicious statutory regulation before the Tuesday morning vote. The Supreme Court should draft a voluntary advisement to the Senate today to this effect, stating that inevitably such a statute will find it's way before the Supreme Court, where it will inevitably be found unconstitutional.
Monday, December 21, 2009
THE OPERA AIN'T OVER 'TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS....
SENATORS JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (CT) AND OLYMPIA SNOW (ME) TOOK THE "HEAT" for Senator Harry Reid (NV), the Senate Majority Leader, with respect to scuttling the extension of the Medicare Buy-In to age 55. This may be a wise decision in the moment. Senator Lieberman stated that while he favored the idea of the Medicare Buy-In in principle, the current Medicare system is not set up to handle such a large influx of new Beneficiaries, especially when cutbacks in Medicare Budget expansion are written into the current Healthcare Reform Bill. There is indeed merit in this statement.
The opinion already expressed in this Blog is that the extension of Medicare to age 55 would be an excellent thing. For this to be done rightly, several things would have to be assured: (1a) the Medicare Budget would have to be increased significantly, (1b) the Medicare Part-B Premiums collected would have to be put in a "lock box" so that those funds remain available strictly to Medicare and are not used elsewhere in the Federal Budget, and (1c) funds already "stolen" from Medicare and Social Security for use by the Federal Government for other purposes would have to be returned; (2) Medicare Providers (physicians, hospitals, etc.) would have to experience a significant increase in remuneration from Medicare to compensate for the already low reimbursement rate and to compensate for the loss of income that would inevitably result from many Baby Boomers relinquishing high-premium private insurance in favor of Medicare.
At 1am this morning the Senate Democrats succeeded in obtaining 60 votes (58 Democrats and 2 Independents) to end debate on the Healthcaare Reform Compromise Plan (in which Medicare extension to age 55 is excluded). There are good and bad things in the Bill, it will be voted up or down Tuesday morning at 7am (will the Fat Lady appear?), and then assuming the Bill passes, it yet must go back to the House for confirmation. The House has many Fat Lady's and no shortage of Rats and Snakes....
Highlighting the good things in the Bill are: (1) mandatory national participation in either private or semi-private or public insurance programs, which will reduce the catastrophic costs of medical care born by the government by those refusing to obtain insurance, who yet take advantage of Federal Law requiring hospitals to treat everyone; (2) elimination of coverage exclusions such as pre-existing conditions and waiting periods [it remains a mystery that the private sector hasn't already done this long ago by offering Riders to provide such coverage]; (3) federally compensating the private sector and/or extending Medicaid so that poorer Americans may afford insurance.
The opinion already expressed in this Blog is that the extension of Medicare to age 55 would be an excellent thing. For this to be done rightly, several things would have to be assured: (1a) the Medicare Budget would have to be increased significantly, (1b) the Medicare Part-B Premiums collected would have to be put in a "lock box" so that those funds remain available strictly to Medicare and are not used elsewhere in the Federal Budget, and (1c) funds already "stolen" from Medicare and Social Security for use by the Federal Government for other purposes would have to be returned; (2) Medicare Providers (physicians, hospitals, etc.) would have to experience a significant increase in remuneration from Medicare to compensate for the already low reimbursement rate and to compensate for the loss of income that would inevitably result from many Baby Boomers relinquishing high-premium private insurance in favor of Medicare.
At 1am this morning the Senate Democrats succeeded in obtaining 60 votes (58 Democrats and 2 Independents) to end debate on the Healthcaare Reform Compromise Plan (in which Medicare extension to age 55 is excluded). There are good and bad things in the Bill, it will be voted up or down Tuesday morning at 7am (will the Fat Lady appear?), and then assuming the Bill passes, it yet must go back to the House for confirmation. The House has many Fat Lady's and no shortage of Rats and Snakes....
Highlighting the good things in the Bill are: (1) mandatory national participation in either private or semi-private or public insurance programs, which will reduce the catastrophic costs of medical care born by the government by those refusing to obtain insurance, who yet take advantage of Federal Law requiring hospitals to treat everyone; (2) elimination of coverage exclusions such as pre-existing conditions and waiting periods [it remains a mystery that the private sector hasn't already done this long ago by offering Riders to provide such coverage]; (3) federally compensating the private sector and/or extending Medicaid so that poorer Americans may afford insurance.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
JUST AN IDEA.... WHAT MIGHT MEDICARE AND GUANTANAMO HAVE IN COMMON?
TODAY THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED...
THAT: THE SENATE IS SCUTTLING THE IDEA OF EXTENDING MEDICARE COVERAGE TO AGE 55;
THAT: A PRISON FACILITY IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THE RELOCATION OF WAR PRISONERS FROM GUANTANAMO TO THE AMERICAN MAINLAND.
JUST AN IDEA.... AFTER THE TRANSFER OF THE WAR PRISONERS FROM GITMO TO THE AMERICAN HOMELAND, WHY NOT TRANSPORT OUR CONGRESS FROM THE AMERICAN HOMELAND TO GITMO?
THAT: THE SENATE IS SCUTTLING THE IDEA OF EXTENDING MEDICARE COVERAGE TO AGE 55;
THAT: A PRISON FACILITY IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THE RELOCATION OF WAR PRISONERS FROM GUANTANAMO TO THE AMERICAN MAINLAND.
JUST AN IDEA.... AFTER THE TRANSFER OF THE WAR PRISONERS FROM GITMO TO THE AMERICAN HOMELAND, WHY NOT TRANSPORT OUR CONGRESS FROM THE AMERICAN HOMELAND TO GITMO?
HAPPY HOLIDAY HEALTHCARE ADDENDUM
SCRATCH THE MEDICARE EXTENSION TO AGE 55?
The New York Times reported today that Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, has announced the scuttling of the idea to extend Medicare coverage to some Americans aged 55-64. May there be a special place in hell for those, who are scuttling this good idea!
So far Congress has written off $60-billion in bail-out money to prop up banking and investment and insurance firms, as well as automobile manufacturers. Result? The cost of automobiles has doubled, so those most needing automobiles cannot afford to buy them, whether new or used; so, the automobile industry is again flat.... And, we have no positive healthcare reform!
That $60-billion alone could have significantly financed healthcare reform. May we remember as well that the crisis in Medicare and Social Security funding began years ago with the inappropriate use of Social Security funds by Congress for purposes other than Social Security?
In the previous post to which this post is an addendum I exclaimed, "DO THE MATH!" So, here is a good idea -- extension of Medicare to age 55 -- being scrapped and thus compounding a bad idea (cutting Medicare by 25%)....
"Let them eat cake...."
The New York Times reported today that Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, has announced the scuttling of the idea to extend Medicare coverage to some Americans aged 55-64. May there be a special place in hell for those, who are scuttling this good idea!
So far Congress has written off $60-billion in bail-out money to prop up banking and investment and insurance firms, as well as automobile manufacturers. Result? The cost of automobiles has doubled, so those most needing automobiles cannot afford to buy them, whether new or used; so, the automobile industry is again flat.... And, we have no positive healthcare reform!
That $60-billion alone could have significantly financed healthcare reform. May we remember as well that the crisis in Medicare and Social Security funding began years ago with the inappropriate use of Social Security funds by Congress for purposes other than Social Security?
In the previous post to which this post is an addendum I exclaimed, "DO THE MATH!" So, here is a good idea -- extension of Medicare to age 55 -- being scrapped and thus compounding a bad idea (cutting Medicare by 25%)....
"Let them eat cake...."
HAPPY HOLIDAY HEALTHCARE?
Much is being kicked around in the media and on Capitol Hill with respect to "healthcare reform". Mostly, it is our stomachs that are being kicked around, like footballs! By the way have you ever noticed that there is only a one-letter difference between the words "Capitol" and "Capital"? I find myself wondering, whether or not the 'de facto' Capital of the country is Las Vegas, home of Senator Harry Reid....
As it stands Congress has passed it's version of "healthcare reform" and the Senate is working on it's own version, which at the moment APPEARS to include (a) elimination of the typical one-year waiting period for coverage, (b) extension of Medicare to some Americans to age fifty-five, and (c) a 25% chop to Medicare. DO THE MATH! It's going to take some serious magic to make this work positively for healthcare delivery. I am reminded of the infamous words of Marie Antoinette, when France was starving under Louis XVI, lacking even bread: "Let them eat cake!"
Let's hope there is no "reform" prior to these holidays; such a gift the nation does not need. There are sound ideas and ways to finance them; springtime is soon enough for a first sprouting of truly good ideas!
As it stands Congress has passed it's version of "healthcare reform" and the Senate is working on it's own version, which at the moment APPEARS to include (a) elimination of the typical one-year waiting period for coverage, (b) extension of Medicare to some Americans to age fifty-five, and (c) a 25% chop to Medicare. DO THE MATH! It's going to take some serious magic to make this work positively for healthcare delivery. I am reminded of the infamous words of Marie Antoinette, when France was starving under Louis XVI, lacking even bread: "Let them eat cake!"
Let's hope there is no "reform" prior to these holidays; such a gift the nation does not need. There are sound ideas and ways to finance them; springtime is soon enough for a first sprouting of truly good ideas!
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