Memo to Health Care Leaders: You WILL Take the Pledge!
[Guest post by DRJ]
On Monday, Barack Obama met with health care leaders and announced they had pledged to reduce health care costs by 1-1/2% a year for the next 10 years. On Thursday, health care leaders reportedly reassured their constituents they had not committed to make specific cuts.
Today, in his Saturday radio address, Obama highlighted the health care leaders’ pledge to cut costs as proof he had delivered on his promise to bring change to Washington.
Change We Can Believe In.
— DRJ
Maybe they will be cutting back the number of pills for each prescription by that quantity per year.
There are no real solutions I am hearing yet, just posturing. I hope that the man can cut health costs. But the only organization with which he was associated did not do very well.
Eric Blair (57b266) — 5/16/2009 @ 1:16 pmRemember, all Obama’s statements come with an expiration date.
Paul (creator of "Staunch Brayer") (1284e4) — 5/16/2009 @ 1:25 pmSorry Mr. O. Studies show 4 out of 5 health care leaders prefer Endust.
PS. – Welcome back DRJ!! 🙂
qdpsteve (5eb540) — 5/16/2009 @ 1:30 pmHeh.
PS – Thanks for the welcome home, qdpsteve.
DRJ (f55947) — 5/16/2009 @ 1:33 pmI have pledged to lose 20 lbs. and get in shape for, oh, about the last ten years or so. I reckon the health care industry leaders’ pledge will meet with similar success.
JVW (eabe68) — 5/16/2009 @ 1:40 pmI’m being redundant in terms of what’s been said multiple times by economists,but there is an infinite desire for health care and finite resources. The less it costs one,the more it will be over used.
corwin (fe89f0) — 5/16/2009 @ 3:22 pmAnd,for the last few years ,I’ve been quasi retired -almost like a Calif public servant,, and doing about 30 % free care.Doing this much free,cuts my income by more than half.Can’t do it any more, and am seriously considering becoming an expat.
You have to admit, Obama is a brilliant liar and propagandist.
Patricia (2183bb) — 5/16/2009 @ 3:44 pmGiven the fact that at least one party involved states unequivocably that is not what they agreed to, for Barcky to repeat this, after being made aware of their objections, is flat out dishonest.
JD (4249e2) — 5/16/2009 @ 4:31 pmThat’s Obama, flat out dishonest.
Its going to be a long four years.
SPQR (e2ac88) — 5/16/2009 @ 4:47 pmIs it unfair of me to state that this seems to be flat out dishonest?
JD (4249e2) — 5/16/2009 @ 5:05 pmIs it unfair of me to state that this seems to be flat out dishonest?
No, because it is true.
Paul (creator of "Staunch Brayer") (1284e4) — 5/16/2009 @ 5:12 pmThis kind of dishonesty sickens me.
Maybe that’s the plan.
Apogee (e2dc9b) — 5/16/2009 @ 5:14 pmApogee – This one is really not a big deal, but it is indicative about how they will be dishonest about even small things. Most disturbing about this one is the fact that they are very well aware that people do not agree with their assertions, yet continue to make them, repeatedly, as though nobody pointing out that their assertions are not true. We have to suppose that they know the MSM will allow them to get away with it.
JD (4249e2) — 5/16/2009 @ 5:22 pmJD – they are very well aware that people do not agree with their assertions, yet continue to make them, repeatedly, as though nobody pointing out that their assertions are not true.
I guess Obama can thank the Clintons for laying that groundwork.
Apogee (e2dc9b) — 5/16/2009 @ 5:26 pm“You have to admit, Obama is a brilliant liar and propagandist.”
Patricia – I might have said facile or practiced rather than brilliant, but to each his own.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 5/16/2009 @ 5:49 pmAmerica! A country governed by the rule of lies!
MikeD (c83900) — 5/16/2009 @ 6:04 pmThe only way to make health care more affordable is to lower the cost of providing health care.
Michael Ejercito (7c44bf) — 5/16/2009 @ 6:10 pmMichael,
Corwin (fe89f0) — 5/16/2009 @ 8:49 pmHow do you propose this be done? I’d let my malpractice lapse/everything in the (rich) wife’s name.Then I couldn’t get insurance re imbursement or keep my privelges.I’ve curbed hosp work/even office surgery.But still havce to pay insurance.
And yesterday,I had to spend 45 minutes on the phone for prior auth’s of meds for patients I see free.(They have ‘Caid).That happens about twicw /week.
I also have to worry that by seeing some patients free,I’m leaving myself open to charges of Medicare fraud.great,huh?
The regulatory burden grows in medicine (I’m part of it in workers comp) and there are two problems. One is that certain programs for dependent groups like Medicaid invite fraud. I can recall working in an ER, when I was a resident 35 years ago, and having a MediCal patient get upset with me because I would give her what she wanted (I can’t remember anymore what it was) and she said she would just go to another ER and get it. She probably did. No accountability. I can remember guys quitting residencies to set up mills to get rich on the new program.
These people have no sense of responsibility for themselves.
Second, the fraud is encouraged by legislation. Lobbies go to the Legislature and say “Give us this one small thing and we will contribute to your campaign.” The medical association cannot win that one because we are always defensive and the lobbies always want just that one thing.
When I began to review workers comp cases, I saw such things as 900 chiropractor treatments in one year to one patient. I saw a patient whose carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness in the hand from median nerve pinching at the wrist) treated with “out of body experience sessions.” I talked to the therapist who was convinced her treatment was successful if only she could hold enough sessions (seances ?). The Legislature allowed this. Eventually, when all the insurers had left the state, we got reform which is still fought bitterly by the WC attorneys.
Obama’s plan, what I have heard about it, will go the political route, as Canada did, and give people what they think they want. In any health care system, the number of well people always far outweighs the sick. You see surveys and they say they like the system. Of course they do ! They don’t have to pay.
Try surveying people who have been sick. Good luck. But they are always outnumbered.
Mike K (2cf494) — 5/16/2009 @ 9:37 pmMike K – I saw such things as 900 chiropractor treatments in one year to one patient.
There you go, criticizing our valiant medical professionals. 2.6 visits a day including weekends and holidays is an impressive work ethic.
Also, your term “WC attorneys” conjures up various meanings.
The massive fraud and waste inherent in the system aren’t enough. There is no real desire for health care by those pushing these ‘reforms’. They literally want the power of life and death over their constituents, along with the ability to run 1/3 of the American economy through their hands.
If you think fraud and waste are massive now, just wait.
This isn’t ideology. It is simply theft.
Apogee (e2dc9b) — 5/16/2009 @ 9:56 pmThe 1.5 percent medical savings are no more real than the three and half millions jobs, created or saved. It isthe old Obama phantom baseline. You can not measure healthcare saving or job savings without a baseline. Obama’s baselines undefinable.
As long as the media keeps eating up, accepting as if true, Obama phony baselines, he will keep parading them out. Obama simply does know that many tricks.
DavidL (02e14f) — 5/17/2009 @ 4:31 amOHB is a prevaricating SOB!
krusher (0be05a) — 5/17/2009 @ 9:57 amI think what you’re looking for is Mark Metcalf as Doug Neidermeyer, somberly intoning, “We now consecrate the bond of obedience. Assume the position.”
Rich Fader (295108) — 5/17/2009 @ 11:43 am“I saw such things as 900 chiropractor treatments in one year to one patient.”
Mike – And when that stuff is allowed, it’s no problem at all for the insurance companies since they build it into their pricing. Heh! Evil damn insurers, always want to make money.
Then the regulators wonder why the companies want to leave the state, even though they aren’t granting them the rate relief they ask for. Eventually as you point out, reform happens and then it’s off to the races once again as people try to figure out how to game the system.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 5/17/2009 @ 2:05 pm