Healthcare Content (Protest Instructions) >>>>>

[sls.stormyrider]

that is good news.'
I have a lot of respect for Olympia Snow - not just 'cause of this.

the Baucus bill is clearly flawed, but is a good starting point, imo

the big challenge is how to realistically reduce costs, or at least prevent them from rising as fast as they are.

[rowjimmy]

I'd prefer Single-payer but I feel a public option is a must.
These "exchanges" are bullshit and have not worked on the state level in the past.

[Alumni]

For folks with 11:00 to spare, and don't feel like listening to a 3.0 Possum, may I suggest John Stewart's utter evisceration  of CNN. Of course, it's healthcare related:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-october-12-2009/cnn-leaves-it-there

[rowjimmy]

Awesome. As usual.

[sls.stormyrider]

thanks - will check it out at home

[Hicks]

I'd prefer Single-payer but I feel a public option is a must.
These "exchanges" are bullshit and have not worked on the state level in the past.

QFT

[sls.stormyrider]

For folks with 11:00 to spare, and don't feel like listening to a 3.0 Possum, may I suggest John Stewart's utter evisceration  of CNN. Of course, it's healthcare related:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-october-12-2009/cnn-leaves-it-there

that was awesome

[Poster Nutbag]

For folks with 11:00 to spare, and don't feel like listening to a 3.0 Possum, may I suggest John Stewart's utter evisceration  of CNN. Of course, it's healthcare related:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-october-12-2009/cnn-leaves-it-there

that was awesome

Yes!! absolute quality stuff... and now in more important matters... Just how many woman did David Letterman sleep with?? fact check please...

[gah]

For folks with 11:00 to spare, and don't feel like listening to a 3.0 Possum, may I suggest John Stewart's utter evisceration  of CNN. Of course, it's healthcare related:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-october-12-2009/cnn-leaves-it-there

that was awesome

Finally watched this. Good work as usual.

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

I just wanted to let Sophist know that the other day there was a doctor talking about the supply of doctors and how it differs in rural and urban areas and how that effects the economics of the different health care systems in those areas...and I thought it was enlightening.

Apparently Supply only truly effects the health care economy when it is in short supply, however when supply outweighs demand...the doctors just order more tests and procedures to make up for it.  I found that take interesting.

[sophist]

I just wanted to let Sophist know that the other day there was a doctor talking about the supply of doctors and how it differs in rural and urban areas and how that effects the economics of the different health care systems in those areas...and I thought it was enlightening.

Apparently Supply only truly effects the health care economy when it is in short supply, however when supply outweighs demand...the doctors just order more tests and procedures to make up for it.  I found that take interesting.

Thanks.  That is interesting. 

[rowjimmy]

I just wanted to let Sophist know that the other day there was a doctor talking about the supply of doctors and how it differs in rural and urban areas and how that effects the economics of the different health care systems in those areas...and I thought it was enlightening.

Apparently Supply only truly effects the health care economy when it is in short supply, however when supply outweighs demand...the doctors just order more tests and procedures to make up for it.  I found that take interesting.

Thanks.  That is interesting.

This American Life'd

[sls.stormyrider]

I just wanted to let Sophist know that the other day there was a doctor talking about the supply of doctors and how it differs in rural and urban areas and how that effects the economics of the different health care systems in those areas...and I thought it was enlightening.

Apparently Supply only truly effects the health care economy when it is in short supply, however when supply outweighs demand...the doctors just order more tests and procedures to make up for it. I found that take interesting.

that is probably true for some, but to paint all doctors with that brush is unfair and inappropriate.

I have no doubt that there is over-utilization done in the name of billing. Much of the over-utilization that I see is done by well meaning doctors who don't profit at all from the unnecessary tests that they order, for example a primary care doc ordering unnecessary CAT scans or stress tests. He / she doesn't profit at all from those tests.

regardless of motive, we need to decrease over-utilization. reducing reimbursement rates won't do it, and, in many circumstances, is penalizing the wrong party. we need to educate docs about when and what to order (efforts have been underway for several years - it's a long process). Part of insurance companies asking for prior approval is aimed at this. It's a pain in the ass, but the efforts are, in many cases, not inappropriate. And, we need to stop the abuses that faux mentioned.

Some approaches to fix it are innapropriate, imo. For instance, CMS (the gov't agency that runs Medicare) and the Baucus committee looked at the 2 most costly areas - oncology and cardiology. They decided that we need to reduce spending in those areas and chopped reimbursement. The 2 most common causes of death in the US are -
you guessed it- cancer and heart disease. There is a reason those are the 2 most costly areas of health care. Doesn't make much sense to me, or the WSJ editorial, to make blanket cuts there. What they're doing is kinda like what a HS student does to fudge chem lab - it knows the answer it wants and does something simple and mindless to get there.
(disclaimer - conflict of interest)

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

I just wanted to let Sophist know that the other day there was a doctor talking about the supply of doctors and how it differs in rural and urban areas and how that effects the economics of the different health care systems in those areas...and I thought it was enlightening.

Apparently Supply only truly effects the health care economy when it is in short supply, however when supply outweighs demand...the doctors just order more tests and procedures to make up for it.  I found that take interesting.

Thanks.  That is interesting.

This American Life'd

Thanks RJ.  That is exactly where I heard it.  I knew it was on NPR, and I didn't properly cite it in my poorly worded post.

[sls.stormyrider]

I think this is the single best thing I've read about realistically fixing the health care system. Patients get good care, people get well paid, and the incentives are in the right place.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1930501,00.html