The newly-relased government's attempt at reforming health care (HR 3962) released by House Democrats, will ration health care by creating "WAITNING LISTS". Access to waiting lists is not an improvement in Access to Health Care. My retirment seems to be closer than ever. Without patients and physicians making decisions in an informed and shared way, the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare is jeopardized.
If you want to preserve what is good about health care in our great country, get involved. If not, sit back and watch health care evaporate into another poorly run, government bureaucracy. Can you name a federally run program that is efficient?
I disagree with your alarmist posts and support health care reform including a public option. And, I'm a Ph.D. and professor who has done some homework and has family in the medical field...
Dr. Goodyear's post is hardly an alarmist position. I was a CEO of a large healthcare facility and saw the negative effects that DRGs, managed care, and other so-called improvements did for healthcare and Obama's plan is more of the same. We are being sold a bill of goods without a decent analysis of the fiscal impact. None of Pelosi's or Obamas initiatives have done what they were supposed to and only got us deeper in debt (e.g. cash for clunkers, economic stimulus, etc. etc.). If this plan passes it won't be long before we see more and more cost containment measures such as levels of approval, rationed care, waiting lists, uncovered treatments, etc. Much of our tax money will be go to providing healthcare for illegal aliens. I personally would hate to see my choices, and those of my physician, now be in the hands of Federal bureaucrats who don't really give damn about me.
I could go on and on but suffice it to say that the plan will be a nightmare for our country -- and I am a democrat! I also think that this plan needs a whole lot more work; needs vast public debate and other opportunities for input at all levels; and should not be decided by our elected officials but rather a voter's referendum on a national election ballot.
Lastly, it's easy to criticize another but as an educated person perhaps you should offer some substantive refutation and points to debate rather than simply make a blanket statement - and an inflammatory one at that.
I am strongly against this Orwellian health "reform" bill. One of the provisions calls for jail time for those who don't buy into a plan, if they can afford it. Some have drawn analogies to mandatory auto insurance and the penalties, possibly jail time, that are imposed. You don't have to drive.
This level of control, in my opinion, far exceeds those powers given to Congress in the enumerated powers. I want my freedom of choice, which includes the decision to not have health insurance. I'll end this by also saying HMOs should have their antitrust exemptions lifted, and they bear much responsiblity for the current discontent with health care. Anyone remember Richard Scrushy?
80-90 percent of people say they are satisfied with their healthcare. Health insurance companies run a profit margin of 2.2 percent, the problem with the cost of health care does not fall on anyone but the consumer. Lets face it, we are a fat/obese nation. I recently saw an interview with a hospital director that explained that 1/3 of the visits to his hospital were because of obesity related diseases. Government run health insurance will not fix this, hmo's don't cause this. Its the consumer who chooses to put that extra twinky in their mouth instead of a piece of fruit. Until the fat people in society decide they want to get healthy, our costs will continue to spiral upwards.
I know a few people that our heavy because they have cushings disease. They exercise and are very active yet cannot lose a pound. i really think that everyone should have to pay a deductible of say $600 a year and then we should all be covered and not have to pay another penny for the year. I definatly do not think an insurance company should drop a patient because they have recurring problems. It is not the patient or the surgeons fault that one has to keep getting help for the same thing. In a nut shell I think it all comes down to getting that last penny. The love of money is the route of all evil. In times like these we need to pull together. Lets stop ripping on each other and pulling together to resolve these issues.
A lot of the health insurance package is really about control. Some people want to control others and that is evil.
It's interesting that many are pushing for electronic records where they can be shared easily. Who is going to view your file and for what purpose? What may happen is when you get to a certain age, say 65 and you need a hernia operation and in pain, a government official or contractor will tell you to "wait and see". Meanwhile, you will suffer in pain.
Take out the small percentage of people who can't lose weight because of cushings, or other diseases, still leaves millions of people that are obese and got that way because they choose not to balance their diet. How do you propose after someone hits that 600 that its payed for?
Just driving around a few days ago, I had seen a new building under construction and part of the sign I could read said Preventative Healthcare. The building is rather large so I think it could be some sort of co-op. I really don't know anyone who likes these co-ops. They want you to pick a doctor and then they will decide what treatment you get. What if you know of a doctor or surgeon outside of the co-op who is good at fixing a particular kind of hernia? I really don't think you will be able to see them. Then if you are old, they will tell you to live with your pain. I disagree with some of the concept of preventative care. Some things in medicine, you cannot prevent.
So this is what it really comes down to: "Managed Care". Things may not be the best now, but I think things will be very bad down the road.
I think that we will have to figure that out. We all seem to agree that this is all wrong so maybe we can make a difference together and come up with a plan. I think that it is a bunch of bull to have to keep paying for the same surgery over and over. I am speaking for myself as one. 6 hernia repairs in the last 16 years. This is really getting old. Another thing that is not right is surgeons refusing to help a patient that has severe recurring hernia problems. The way I see it if a person has to pay a maximum of $5000 dollars out of their pocket and have health insurance than they might as well not have any insurance at all.
Maybe the reason the surgeons refuse to help someone that has had 6 hernia repairs is the fact they have little knowledge of the lightweight mesh product such as doctor Goodyear uses. I am aware of a surgeon who was using a mesh/plug a couple of years ago and yet he was rated a top surgeon by magazine. This is makes me wonder if the ratings are rigged!! And yet if you have to pay $5,000 out of your pocket to see Dr. Goodyear, then so be it!!! At least you have a choice. Did you know that if you are under medicare, even if you have the money to see a doctor paying your "own" money that is illegal? (As i understand it?) That is what some people want. They do not want you to have a choice. It's true because it is actually happening.
I would not pay 5,000 to see any surgeon out of my pocket. Not even doctor Goodyear. I am poor. I do not agree with healthcare system. My thought is after so many repeat surgeries one should get a free one. You know seriously if I knew how to help people I would do it for free. I think that in todays world most people just are looking for the bucks instead of helping others.
QUESTION: If I did agree to do surgery for free, will/should society protect me from the potential inflammatory and most often frivolous allegations of malpractice should the patient be unhappy with the result?
Sustainable Health System Reform will require reform in many areas. The broken medical liability system ( and the legal system in general) needs as much if not more reform than does health care. THAT is what is most ruinous to our society and freedoms, and why increasingly many physicans will potentiall avoid complex cases within a new health care paradigm. Again, health care rationing.
Keep up the debate. Agree or disagree, but GET INVOLVED politically and not just on the internet !!!
To begin with how are people suppose to pay for now mandatory health insurance, on top of all other payments?? When some state's are with high rate of unemployment. It's bad enough at paying for over priced car insurance. You go from one state to another and you will find atuo insurance will change because of either older people accident or young teens accident , or no insurance accidents. I found this a big difference from the state of Florida and from Ohio, with Ohio having lower rates.. This is not to be mean or pick on any age group. Is health insurance going to be sat at one sit price through out every state??How does the gov expect the unemployed, one on a fixed income, with health recurrence problems of hernia's?? which makes a person indigent. When a person starts having more then 2 abdominal surgeries, you become a job risk. Even under handicap employment.How is this going to effect union based work places, with fixed insurance??
Yes Dr. Goodyear in some way you should be protected from the lawsuits and malpractice. I agree with you that we should get politically involved instead of just talking about it on internet. I am up for it if anyone else is on getting a campaign going against this whole reform idea.
We must stop the any healthcare legislation bill now in congress. The senators and congressman will have their own plan separate from the general public. If government healthcare is so good, then why are they opting out?
