‘It’s time for real health care pros to put in their two-cents worth.’
BOHEMIA, NY, June 22 – “So-called Washington DC professionals have tackled the issue of health care reform and have failed miserably. It’s time for real health care pros to put in their two-cents worth,” said Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens.
The AMAC chief explained that qualified representatives from all stakeholders involved in health care including Doctors, Nurses, Hospitals, Health Insurance providers will participate in a series of online workshops. “They’ll offer experienced insight into all aspects of health care with a goal of producing realistic, alternative avenues of reform based, not on politics, but on their own knowledge and understanding of the issue.”
Doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, health insurance providers, drug company executives, experts from patient advocacy organizations, study groups and think tanks will provide expertise in a series of 15 independent working groups, each focused on specific facets of health care delivery, Weber explained.
“The participants will produce recommendations on solving problems or improving results. For example, one workshop will be entitled “How to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions,” he said.
No time limits are involved in the workshop process in order to ensure that the sessions are comprehensive and productive. “Our goal is to identify positive and workable solutions.”
“Until now government efforts to effect positive changes in our health care system have been failures for the most part because they were products of a political system. Our intent is to eliminate the element of politics and concentrate on the needs of those who provide health care services and those who use them.”
Professionals wishing to join AMAC’s health care study groups may submit their applications by logging on at www.amac.us/healthcareworkshops.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Dan Weber is available for telephone interviews on this issue. Please contact John Grimaldi at 917-846-8485 or [email protected] to set up a chat.
ABOUT AMAC
The Association of Mature American Citizens [http://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital and conservative alternative to those traditional organizations, such as AARP, that dominate the choices for mature Americans who want a say in the future of the nation. Where those other organizations may boast of their power to set the agendas for their memberships, AMAC takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests, and offering a conservative insight on how to best solve the problems they face today.
I agree on price controls.
I was in the hospital with my own plavix.
I was told I can’t use mine (at $49 month supply)
I had to have a hospital provided plavix at $60 for one pill.
The doctor was in for 4 1/2 minutes; the bill $1600.
Over $21,300 per hour or $170,666 for an eight hour day.
Thats over $5 million dollars per Dr. per month.
Dr’s say malpractice causes high prices.
They want to limit amount of law suits by patients.
I say fine limit law suits dollar amounts; but ALSO limit price of operation.
A broken arm (not compound) should not cost over $2300 as it does now.
An X-ray and splint maybe call it $500 which is generous.
Liver transplant rather than $700,000 charge $50,000.
How about government subsidized medical school.
But the doctor has work in a government hospital for five years to pay it back.
Rather than obama care, those on welfare, food stamps get treated at the government hospital. (like my army days)
Increase the number of doctors, prices go down.
Get the idea.
I know welfare, foodstamp people want the Mayo or John Hopkins.
Not on my tab! A government hospital was go enough for me in the army, it’s more than they deserve.
GET A JOB… obama’s BUY A VOTE program is a fraund.
I think this panel is a great idea but also think it needs to include health care users as well as professionals. The person’s comments about not being able to get health care for unrelated health care issues he had many years before reverberated with me as I had a similar experience. Riders on the health care policy are a good idea. Who knew it was the health insurance industry responsible for the idea to have a health care mandate?
I believe the biggest problem is that we, the consumers, have relinquished total control for our health to the medical industry and the insurance companies, including Medicare.
Our current system utilizes deductibles and copays. Neither of these encourages a conservative use of services. Neither of these discourages fraud, overuse, or wasted, unnecessary, and expensive tests.
Instead, the consumer should have the responsibility for paying a percentage of the cost of all medical decisions (no matter how small that percentage has to be) at least until those expenses reach some high level.
In return, the consumer should ask enough questions to be informed before incurring costs: What will this test or procedure accomplish? What will it cost? Are there other related charges (radiologist readings, etc.)? Are there any other means to accomplish the same results? Etc., etc., etc. Every provider now has computerized records of all their standard charges and those negotiated with insurers, so even the charges for referred services should be readily available if the healthcare industry operated under this system.
Now the patient/consumer is pro-active in his or her own healthcare, and can make reasonable and economic decisions. Further, since the patient is more involved in these decisions he is more likely to be compliant with the doctor’s instructions and less likely to sue due to bad outcomes–both factors in keeping costs lower.
You’re right Donna. A high deductible with or without a health savings account will make people more accountable and demand to know prices. Then we will have a free market in health care that will control our current high health care inflation. What is falsely called health insurance takes responsibility from us.
A simple issue with current Medicare is that upon reaching 65, unless you were previously participating in a large company plan, Medicare becomes your primary coverage automatically. Why can’t we keep and continue my private insurance plan if I pay for it?
The complete problem with health care is the same as auto insurance. The useless government law makers have made all kinds of laws that keep the insurance companies and the medical people confined and in need of hiring others to just keep up with the paper work. That all means more cost to you and keeping insurance from crossing state lines. Free interprize has been taken away and replaced with stuiped laws made by stuiped people. This has been the norm in this country because the self absorbed sorry so called Americans full of self greed have let it go on as long as it did not hurt them and would not replace anyone in office as long as they started with free. Well nothing is free the government does not have a dime. they spend your money. And when they do not have enough they take more. Well we are now hearing from you that know and did not care for it had not gotten to you yet and now it has. The trash law makers are about to take away your freedom and everything you have for a communist nation and you are just sitting back saying well its not me. Communist nation covers all does not matter who you are how much power you have or how much money you have, the only thing that matters is the dictator in charge, and he needs no one so it will run on weather he or her likes you or not. Get the government completely out of all insurace and make it work by the peoples desirers and it will be fine.
Why are we paying higher prices for medicatioins and medical equipment to subsidize the negotiated lower prices in the rest of the industrialized world? Drug prices are lower in Canada, Great Britan, Germany, Japan, South Korea, etc due to negotiations with the suppliers who then raise prices in the U S to make their profits. Maybe a 5 year equalization plan for the G20 is in order. The export of cheaper drugs hurts Americans every bit as much as the export of jobs. We can no longer afford to support the rest of the world in their un productive search for a socialist utopia.
Health Insurance premiums ought to be treated like auto or life insurance: If you are a good driver/healthy, you get a better rate. If you are not exercising, are obese, etc, then you pay more. Want to pay less? Get your life/health in order.
Also, providers charge exorbitant fees indeed. I am a provider and I have always charged what is allowed: 10% over my cash price to allow for billing costs. Result? I receive about half of my cash price from insurance, with 10% of that going to my billing person, who is essential. There are so many dx codes now it is insane! Medical billing is beyond complex. My theory is this: If you, for example, want to receive in reality $100 for an office visit, you need to charge $350 to the insurance company and hope you get $100. If you have insurance, fine. But if you have a high deductible, like we do, or no insurance, you now have to pay $350. No one in their right mind would pay that for an office visit. Somehow the mindset for provider and patient alike is, “my insurance is paying for it.” We need to have a system based on fair market value. Thank you for listening.
I have spent the last 30 years looking at how I eat, exercise, and clearing guilts and resentments in my life. The last time I took any medications was about 12 years ago when I had an appendix burst. The medical field has little to no interest in natural ways of to heal its patients. In fact, if a doctor does use natural means that are attacked and demonized by the AMA and pharma corp. So many people are pumped with unnecessary meds that create other problems. As they say follow the money.
A panel of stakeholders? There are only two (2) stakeholders – the patient and the doctor. All others are interferers that add to costs and complexity.
Paying for health care collectively is a socialist idea where everyone throws money in the pot and take money out of the pot for not only what they need, but , WHAT THEY WANT. Prices are kept secret so the patient and the doctor have no concern about cost, nor, even if the treatment will be effective. (See RAND study where only half of treatments are effective.)
The pot of money provides for a bill paying scheme falsely called health insurance, wide open to “predatory” practices by insurers, providers, and patients. Where unnecessary care, care of marginal value, and over utilization of services are rampant.
The culture of our health care system is “do all that you can, regardless of cost, or effectiveness”, WAKE-UP FOLKS!
We could start by regulating a few things. We have the greatest health care system in the world. If you get sick–what country do you want to be in? I’ll take the U.S.A. However we need to stop ten dollar aspirin in the hospitals and hundred-fifty to two hundred dollar consultations with doctors who only spend fifteen minutes with the patient (if the patient is lucky). The costs have gone out of sight and that’s ludicrous. Fix all the cost problems by regulating them and we will all survive—including the doctors who charge exorbitant fees. I know, I know, we have more regulation than we need on everything. But if the medical industry chooses not to regulate itself then may be it’s time for the government to step in.
The only thing that needs regulation is the Legal Industry. When lawyers sue doctors, and hospitals prices go up all over and so do insurance cost to doctors and hospitals.
We need TORT REFORM
We have a $5000 deductible on in-network expenses and $10,000 for out of network. It seems to me that the negotiated fees with providers should be applied across the board. Why do we need two categories? Insurance should pay the insured regardless of in or out of network. If a provider is out of network, the insured should be able to get reimbursed based on the in network fee structure. Our network has some providers that I do not care to use. I have a chronic disease that is not treated with the same enthusiasm by all providers.
I have read all of the above.Medical Ins.Worked for Gen. Motors 30 yrs.GM.canceled my Health Ins.Had to purchace our own supplemental coverage.Gm helped with some of the cost.But,All of the costs are seperate.Health Dental Vision Part D Drugs,Part [email protected] Medicare.These are all seperate costs,plus Deductables and Co pays.I could go on and on.I could list all of the costs,and it is extrem.I need to talk more,but i am tired.SE you later
Amen to Colleen Jensen’s comments — At 72, I am doing the same thing – ordering my own blood tests and sending results to my DC, who then prescribes a protocol of food supplements that have kept me perfectly healthy for years, without a single prescription, PTL!
My suggestion would be to allow Medicare to pay for these food supplements (which cost me over $100/mo) that are prescribed by a licensed health care provider — they certainly aren’t anywhere near as dangerous as 90% of the Rxs prescribed. And they certainly couldn’t be used any more fraudulently than all the Big Pharma drugs being sold for treating symptoms and killing the patient in the process.
Whatever one may think of former President Clinton, at least he had the smarts to listen to his naturopath who just put him on the proper diet and supplementation, rather than all the drugs and surgeries to correct his health challenges. If he could afford any medical care, and chose the least expensive and most helpful, maybe someone else in the health care industry should pay attention.
The liberal mind set, bigger government can do it better and cheaper crowd, usually ignore the HUGE cost of adding thousands or hundreds of thousands of tax supported government employees whose costs of employment will be attributed to “cost of government” and will not show as cost of providing medical care. Thus they will claim to have provided cheaper health care when actually the costs will be astronomically higher.
Besides tort reform, sales across state borders, etc. Our family feels that an important part of high medical costs are due to the ability to advertise RX only drugs by “the ask you doctor” etc… is there a way to disallow that like we do cigarette advertising? Larry
All too much insurance money (and co-pays) is paid out for treatments which do not cure maladies but simply alleviate symptoms. Often these are the “patentable” drugs which cost thousands per year, per patient, are toxic and cause damage to the patient. Let’s pay for Doctors and medicines that CURE and healthcare that PREVENTS the symptoms for which drug companies reap such great rewards.
“Durable equipment”, such as walkers, wheel chairs, etc. that is only needed temporarily should be rented or borrowed from local medical loan closets. How many of those fancy chairs that medicare pays for have you seen advertized “brand new”?This, along with unneeded tests and medications wastes a lot of medicare dollars that should be helping lower-income people. ALL government aid programs are being abused, I feel. Money that was meant as a safety net for those with low or no income have become a way of life for many. Those (even seniors) who can afford reasonably priced insurance should not be relying on medicare or other government programs. We ALL need to pay our fair share, and conserve, rather than waste the monies available.
The medical, drug and hospital people have failed us ; and frankly, don’t cure much more than infections and injuries. Is it not time to give people the correct information on health rather than depend on the “political ” advise now given? It is hard to think that people can actually take personal responsibility. Good Grief, to do this when the government will decide all things.
It is against the law in some states to suggest or use a “proven cure”. It is not against the law to read and learn, It should be against the law to LIE and that is what is happening
Ken is so right. The “medical professionals” have helped make this mess by using their “expertise” instead of common sense. What that panel needs is a bunch of us healthy 80-year-olds to explain that we’ve lasted this long by avoiding the medical professionals as much as possible. My medicare insurance is used for tests I deem necessary and I take the results to a Homeopathic doctor and/or my health food store to fix any problems. Paid out of my own pocket, but it’s worth it. I’m in excellent health using only supplements and one prescription for thyroid hormone. If the insurance companies paid for vitamins they wouldn’t have to pay for so many expensive and useless drugs.
#1 Tort reform, with reasonable limits decided by a panel of doctors & patients on a case by case basis. # 2 Get Government completely out of health care, including all lobbyists . # 3 Allow healthcare insurers to market their products nationwide. Create a pre existing condition pool , just like auto insurers have to insure drivers with less than stellar driving records. Every health insurer will have to accept an equal percentage of those with pre existing conditions at a slightly higher rate. After all , insurance companies go into business to make a profit , just as every business does. When you remove their ability to make a profit , they will close their business.& everyone loses . Get Government out of the way and let the free market work , that’s how America works. I think my plan will lower costs for everyone without penalizing insurance companies.
Ditto to everything Larry mentioned.
I also think we need to address Social Security Disability. This has become a real “get rich quick” for lawyers.
Not to mention that suddenly everyone is bipolar and unable to work because of mood swings.
Let them work in the fields (like migrant workers). They are not physiically disabledf or mentally deficient.
I fear the main culprit to infections in hospitals & nursing homes, etc. is continual 24 hr. POOR PERSONAL HYGIENE
amongst the personnel……from MD’s to janitors.
Long hair ‘flying’ and polished nails are notorious, while clothing [& shoes] worn from home and on the streets are big suspects, also. Cleanliness [@ home and @ wk] are a MUST among hospital personnel but difficult to detect by a
‘glance’ and so….the filth and bacteria are a constant @ home and @ work.
Patients who are discharged quickly and return to their consciously CLEAN home will / DO fare much better than if they remain in hospital-type surroundings.
Visit their home / apt. BEFORE hiring them and do a ‘hygiene check’ on them as well.
We need to think outside the box to solve these types of problems. Our current society as it exist today can not solve single issues. We need to group and combine economic, health and culture together to bring comprimise and resolution to these issues. Here is an example; medical waivers and Insurance to Americans who, in exchange are willing to sacrifice one income to revert back to a single family income, allow one at home parent to raised and care for thier children. HERE ME OUT. This accomplishes many things. It brings security and stability to the health and well being of young families. It builds family values, increases a childs chance of sucess and education. It relieves a huge burden off of million of Americans. It opens up jobs and opportunities by decreasing the demand for both parents to secure a job. It will increase charity work and community service. On and on…..