As much as I and others would like reform to happen fast and smoothly, with broad consensus, it is not going to happen. I’ve been taken to task by folks of all political persuasions for my negativity – guilty as charged.
It now looks like the coalitions are beginning to break apart. As Maggie Mahar reports, Divided We Fail is fraying at the edges. And Bob Laszewski has also been talking this up for several months.
Sorry folks – reality bites.
Feb
18
Joe– It’s always easier being in the opposition and sniping at what is than having to figure out what really can work and deal effectively with the many divergent problems of healthcare in the US. Yes, it’s dysfunctional, but it’s dysfunctional in so many different ways that it will be hard to get two “experts” to agree even on the Top Ten things that need to be fixed ASAP, let alone how to fix them.
The models that everyone likes to point to– Canada, the UK, the western European country of your choice– all have significantly different systems with different arrays of aches and pains of their own, so a growing lack of consensus on what to do now seems more inevitable than surprising.
Bottom line– there actually is no good answer, only a selection of semi-functional models that may not work at all here in the land of the DRG and the home of the CPT. And never forget that the first attempt to fix the healthcare mess is a large part of the Code of Hammurabi, 1760 BCE. We’ve been dinking around with it ever since.
At least the Code of Hammurabi was fairly easy to understand. Seriously, have you tried to read a CPT, ICD-9 or DRG manual?
As to Joe’s negativity, you should not be down. I’m sure the Democratically controlled White House, House and Senate will come up a wonderful solution to all our healthcare needs. ;-)
Amen, Dorrence… And we all know that 100% of the time the right CPT, ICD-9 is billed. And we also know that the service codes some states bill with are easily translated into a certain procedure…NOT!
Yes, it is a very hard thing to do to move from today’s US healthcare to a better platform. But it is nice to know that we now enjoy an administration that will devote good faith efforts to the cause rather than to give it lip service.
The House and Senate Democratic leadership will not move in lock-step so there should be no fear of something being crammed down the public throat, but there is hope that some improvements may be hammered out. And progress is to be embraced.
Joe, I am not a betting woman, but I would place my bets on health care reform happening, And, I believe, it will begin as a small outcry by we consumers and grow in strength and authority. Just returned from first time lobbying of key West Virginia legislators in Charleston West Virginia. The Chairman of the House Committee on the Elderly, once he heard how ruthless and deceitful Coventry Health Care Inc treats consumers, the Chairman promised an investigation. My story is being repeated across this country and my voice will join others. Operating without regulation has caused great harm to the consumer. The consumer can only take so much pain. There are many ready to explode, and I am beginning to wonder if West Virginia will lead us to change.
It will never be perfect, but I believe that we must each take one step at a time towards health care reform. I am only one voice, but that voice, given four years experiencing fighting injustice and corruption within a large health plan was enough to catch the attention of state legislators. They literally stopped what they were doing and listened! If you only knew what I know from a consumer’s perspective how ruthless a health plan can be, you would surely begin to add some commentary to help health care reform along.
Penny Stenger
http://www.tuesdaytiradesandtales.blogspot.com
Gary et al – don’t confuse reality with desire. I too would very mych like to see reform happen quickly. However, the naivete of those who think/thought it would be/wl be quick is not helpful.
The best option on the table at present is that proposed by Sen Wyden D OR. I’ve been advocating that solution for over a year.
Unfortunately, big pharma, health plans, physicians, hospitals all have their perspectives and motivations – as we saw in the comparative effectiveness issue.
Paduda
Weren’t we supposed to go to the metric system back in the 70’s too? What ever happened to that ?