Contributing Member of the Healthcare Councils

All News Analyses by this Author

No real support for government healthcare

July 23, 2009

Analysis of:AMA Endorses House Democrats' Health Care Bill | www.businessweek.com

Evidently whoever is incharge of AMA policy is into stimulus pork policy. I do not know of one Doctor in my entire 100 mile radius that endorses this BOONDOGLE. It is simply a joke and every physician knows it. The only way AMA would even consider this is if some group is getting offered a policy position. Why would any doctor want to have his ability to serve taken from him and given to a bunch of DC crazies.

much retoric no answers

June 23, 2009

Analysis of:Presdient Obama creates health reform office | fcw.com

President Obama has no concept how to manage the change needed in the Healthcare arena. He has brought together some IVY League Doctors who live in Federally funded boxes. The real US healthcare dilema still exists simply because they have no clue how to fix it. Politics will not make a dent in the problem. We all know that the government has always been the problem. Lets do one thing right. Start with "IT" make every note and move available to all healthcare providers so we can be of real service to the patient and have the best of all worlds, real information garnered from all providers involved not just the select few.

UNINTENED RESULTS

January 15, 2009

Analysis of:Health-Care Outlays Climb at Slowest Rate in Years | online.wsj.com

The reason for healthcare costs slowing is in the drug area. A second more unintended reason is reduction in illegal residents returning to their home country due to the down turn in the economy. Also cuts in Home care have also increased along with a more fruitful Fraud and Abuse effort which was ramped up in late 2007. Now the remainder of the next few years should see an increase in Baby boomer population hitting the Medicare roles as well as forced early retierments, due to the economic slowdown.

Notice the last vote on medicare HR6331

July 22, 2008

Analysis of:Patients Curb Prescription Spending | online.wsj.com

if you think we are immune to downturns let me know why Congress just overrule the Bush Veto. They did it because providers were screaming due to the failed government run healthcare system and the downturn in economics of simply being able to get Paid.

Political action statements

July 22, 2008

Analysis of:While the U.S. Spends Heavily on Health Care, a Study Faults the Quality | www.nytimes.com

Looking at the author of this piece it is clearly a statement for government run Healthcare. The person has only Univeral Healthcare on his agenda run by the government and has not heeded advice from those of us provide in the system as it is today. If his agenda wins out my Statement that I close my Television healthcare update each Wednesday will become woefully true. " If you think healthcare is expensive now wait until it is free." The author also sees what other countries have been doing in the last ten years. They are privatizing their systems as fast a possible. Look to spend into the Trillions for health care if either one gets Universal OK.   Vince De Stigter

Jeff is in accounting not a healthcare provider.

June 23, 2008

Analysis of:Health Care in a Lousy Economy | www.hhnmag.com

Jeff is very savy about the probems in healthcare except for the fact that there may not be time 6 to 18 months later where we may se a rebound. Its already been 18 months since fuel costs have skyrocketed and the providers that are service oriented are not going to recover due to the inability to pass on the cost of delivery to the end user. No one provider can continue to serve in an environment where cuts in reimbursements have been severe since 2006. Some providers in home care have averaged a 56% cut and then add on the fuel increase. No the real world does not look for a rebound in Mr Lutz time period. There must be a fix very soon or the amout of providers will dwindle and costs will again skyrocket. Time to look at placing money in a Health Savings account or a strong tin can because you are going to need it in the future to pay for your healthcare.

POLITICAL POSTURING WITH LITTLE THOUGHT FOR RESULTS.

December 6, 2007

Analysis of:Leavitt: Doctors Need Electronic Records | www.sfgate.com

Politics in general always has a resolve or an excuse for their failure to understand the mechanics of a proposal that mandates electronic records. May of the small companies such as mine have been electronic for many years. Doctors have differning opinions as do many providers in the healthcare arena. The federal government really remains the sole culprit in attending to the problems we all face. The medicare system allows medical records to be stored in a Common Working File. One problem is the government run record systems does not allow all healthcare providers to access the system equally. Here lies the real problem, without access to all the records electronic healthcare records will never be completed properly without all legally authorized providers able to access the system. This is just one glaring problems with electronic records and the very group that wants all providers to expense 20,000 to 50,000 for making this concept a reality.

why are drugs exempted

December 6, 2007

Analysis of:Strategies to Avoid Medicare’s Big Hole | www.nytimes.com

All Part B medicare providers have their prices set by medicare at will why are the drug companies exempt from this same policy

reality check

July 23, 2007

Analysis of:AMA warns of threat to doctors' pay | pressherald.mainetoday.com

reality is that as costs rise and payers continue to cut it is time to say yes we accept you insurance but here is the differnce you will be required to pay. This can be documented for medicare on an advanced beneficiary notice and the upcharge must be resonable for the service provided.

embracing progress

July 20, 2007

Analysis of:No Quality Benefits Seen with Electronic Health Records | www.medpagetoday.com

Private physicians and providers have been very slow in acitvating EHR's. Many state that due to reimbursement cuts the cost of establishing in house data base's for their records is not cost effective. Most providers have billing systems in place yet these data base providers have not stepped up to the plate with developing data bases that include access for all providers. CMS does not allow providers to access the common working files. The implication is that providers will use data from the files for marketing reasons. There hs to be a universal response from all providers before any real cost savings and or clinical quality can be assessed.

Its the sign of the times

November 30, 2006

Analysis of:Pfizer to Cut Its U.S. Sales Force by 20% | www.nytimes.com

Its about time.         

Its also a prudent move.

WHO MANAGES INFO?

November 22, 2006

Analysis of:Goal Is Electronic Health Records. Path Is State by State. | www.nytimes.com

- Careful understanding of how and who can access the information. 

- Do all healthcare providers get equal access?

- Now is the time to resolve these issues before more billions are spent and no coherent system will evolve.

DOCTORS HAVE AN OPTION

August 23, 2006

Analysis of:Doctors to Get 5 Percent Cut in Medicare | www.washingtonpost.com

1. DO NOT ACCEPT ASSIGNMENT    

2. USE A DOCUMENT THAT OTHER PROVIDERS ARE ALREADY USING CALLED THE ADVANCED BENEFICIARY NOTICE.

E-health reality or fiction

August 18, 2006

Analysis of:Fraud Rules Adjusted to Spur E-Health Records | www.medscape.com

Healthcare costs rising is common knowledge.

The smallest group of healthcare providers (Homecare Equipment Providers) are already 90% compliant with billing and data bases that monitor and support their client base. American Association of Homecare.

CMS BROAD BRUSH COVERAGE ISSUES

July 20, 2006

Analysis of:Is CMS Setting the Stage to Deny Coverage for Spine Fusion | www.ryortho.com

CMS HAS BEGUN A PROGRAM THAT MAY BE SENDING DENIAL MESSAGES TO MORE THAN JUST SPINE COVERAGE.

CMS IS LIMITING COVERAGE FOR LIFETIME OXYGEN CUSTOMERS TO 36 MONTHS AS OF JANUARY 2006.

CMS HAS PLACED THE WRITING ON THE WALL FOR ALL TYPES OF REIMBURSEMENT COVERAGES.

CMS HAS BEGUN WHAT WE CALL AS A HARD CORE STANCE THAT WILL PUT MULTIPLE MODALITIES AT RISK OF BEING CUT FROM THE PROGRAM.

CMS HAS CLEARLY ENTERED A COST CUTTING  TIME PERIOD THAT IT HAS DETERMINED IS NECESSARY TO SAVE THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.

CMS HAS DETERMINED THAT NO ONE MODALITY WILL BE OVERLOOKED. THEY HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO CONSIDER ONLY THE BARE BONES COST  AND NOT THE SERVICE OR DELIVERY OF THE SERVICE.

NOTHING IS MORE CLEAR TODAY THAN THE FACT THAT CMS HAS NO INTENTION OF PAYING FOR RESEARCH. THEY WILL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE PROVIDERS TO PAY FOR THE PROOF THAT THE SERVICE OR MODALITY SUPPLIED WILL ULTIMATELY SAVE THE PROGRAM MONEY.

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