Comments on: Mayo Clinic comes out against the House health care reform proposal

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:33:25 +0000

Nonetheless, these are just theories or fear tactics. Nothing has been proven and we know what we have does not work. I have no doubt that whatever is put in place will need to be tweaked but the overall health of america is deteriorating. We’re priced out. And the more people that are selected out of health insurance – then the premiums will rise for those who do have it. If you sell to fewer people you will have to sell at a higher price. Basic economics – not theory.

By: Pathia

Pathia — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:05:41 +0000

Warren: Most are chronic conditions that would be much cheaper and easily controlled with medications and regular checkups, instead of waiting until they progress until I have to be hospitalized.

I get bronchitis often for example, but it will develop in pneumonia just as easily. If I could afford to get the bronchitis treated, I wouldn’t have to even go to the ER.

Treating my conditions as they hit the ER level are astronomically higher than treating them earlier on, I’d wager they’re 10% the size, if not less of the ER costs.

I need access to basic pharmaceuticals, a PCP, very basic simple stuff that everyone takes for granted. That’s all I need.

By: Warren

Warren — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:23:40 +0000

I don’t know if it is worse. It may be better but then again perhaps the ER care is better than what you might get from the government. It is a crap shoot, in my view. I think it depends practically on what the holes are and whether you need what is in them.

By: Pathia

Pathia — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:11:53 +0000

Warren: So, having coverage with holes, is worse than having to use the ER exclusively for my health care needs…how?

By: Warren

Warren — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:02:08 +0000

Lynn David – You are putting up some good stuff there. The trick has been defining value.

Normally this involves patients who get well quickly. In my field, it means curing folks in the shortest period possible. So what happens to folks who don’t get over things quickly? They get referred to other providers, you know, the low value providers. Measuring value without taking into account diagnosis severity, social context, etc., places incentives to move certain patients to levels of care which are not paid at optimal rates. Voila – Fewer race cars for those docs; more for the high value providers.