Universal Health Care died.... now what??

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Now that the current Universal Health Care bill died, what are some thoughts?</p>

<p>Ridiculously, the medicare schedule still attempts to cut specialist rates.</p>

<p>Here is the the 2010 Medicare Physician reimbursement schedule:
[2010</a> Medicare Physician Fee Schedule](<a href=“http://www.mgma.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=30691]2010”>http://www.mgma.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=30691)</p>

<p>On around pg 1170, there are the proposed cuts in pay. </p>

<p>specialty 4 year rate cuts
radiology -16%
diag. testing -34%
nuc. med -23%
I.R. -10%
cardiology -13%</p>

<p>For most specialties, there are no change in fee schedules but if one factors in inflation, there would be across the board cuts.</p>

<p>What are some thoughts on this?</p>

2

<p>they need tort reform…</p>

3

<p>^^^^ Glad you mentioned this. It was going to be my post exactly.</p>

4

<p>Well that’s just not a correct assessment. It still needs opposing/supporting, depending on which side of the spectrum you’re on.</p>

<p>[Focus</a> of health care bill may be changing, officials signal - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/31/health.care/index.html]Focus”>Focus of health care bill may be changing, officials signal - CNN.com)</p>

5

<p>Brown specifically said that he wants the bill to die and start from scratch.</p>

<p>Seeing as how the 40 republicans held their ground for months, i dont believe any republicans are going to support the current bill</p>

<p>Anyways, lets direct the discussion towards the medicare schedule. With the current upset over high health care costs, how likely is it that Congress WILL NOT block the 2010 schedule?</p>

6

<p>Public Option is dead, I am proud to be a Republican</p>

7

<p>Obama did not put it in a coffin yet. But he left it alone for … thanks goodness, little break or long break or maybe gradual death (I am praying for it). I did pray for Scott and he won. Maybe that is how it works.</p>

8

<p>^^^^ hahaha scott brown is my hero.</p>

9

<p>Can’t imagine how the Dems thought they could possibly rein in the medical costs without Tort reform.</p>

<p>All the Dem Senators (most of whom are lawyers) wanted to contain payments of the medical community without ruffling any feathers of lawyers. Hopefully, now they have learned their lesson that they can’t favor one selective group.</p>

10

<p>I think we should focus some on the proposed budget cuts for the specialists. What on earth are the medicare people thinking???</p>

11

<p>Just curious, in general, which party is “friendly” to lawyers? doctors? the insurance companies? the drugs companies?</p>

<p>Let us leave out the morality and belief issues (issues like efficiency, patients rights, social justices/stability, fairness, individual’s right, how intrusive the government should be allowed, etc.) for now and just talk about whether a Republic or Democrat politician tends to favor lawyer, doctors, etc., financially speaking.</p>

<p>Because Texas is a red state and has tried to experiment with the tort reform, I would imagine that, as of today,</p>

<p>Republican – good for doctors and insurance and drug companies, bad for lawyers.
Democrats – good for lawyers, bad for doctors and insurance and drug companies.</p>

<p>In recent years at least, more Democrat politicians are lawyers, while more Republican politicians are not lawyers. (e.g., both Bushes are not lawyers. Clinton/Obama are lawyers. Their backgrounds may affect their belief.)</p>

12

<p>The bills are initially formed and modified in the house and the Senate, respectively.
House has 435 congressmen and Senate has 100 senators. Therefore, it’s these 535 votes that initially formulate the bill. I believe there are far more lawyers than non-lawyers in both Senate and the Congress combined, hence the favoritism to lawyers in the bill</p>