Image of Tea Party Protestors before the 2012 Election - they may have read the bill - Irony - image from Media Matters.
Dr. Stuart Altman has been appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to “lead the way for the nation” by instituting the Health Care Reform Act in Massachusetts . Altman explains his stance on and belief structure on Universal Health Care in two video’s below, and it is clear that he is a proponent of Universal Health Care, but that his views and stance on “progressive” history run counter to the current delivery system American’s enjoy. Currently, those with health insurance are given care, which are paid for through insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses. Those who are without health care insurance are not necessarily denied care, rather they are given care through state Medicaid programs. Those that fall through the “cracks” (i.e. Make enough money on paper to afford health care, but in reality cannot afford the premiums, so go without) are not addressed. (Those who pay the fee to the state because they are a) unable to afford the high premiums , and b) are mandated by the State to pay, which is a tad less than the actual costs of the Premium. This is primarily due to lack of competition in the state’s Health Insurance Providers, though no Progressive would admit that free enterprise would drive costs down, that has been proven true with the broader availability of Auto Insurance carriers in the state, reducing the costs of premiums!).
In the first video, Altman explains the plans to implement the new system of oversight based on economics first. The program places the onus on the provider to spend to a limit, therefore, as Professor Altman explains, some procedures that “may be a little useful, but are very expensive”, simply will not be performed.
Additionally, if the system is working as such where a patient is being denied care, because of the restrictions set in place by the state to control costs, then Altman’s logic is that the bureaucracy will be able to see this taking place, and alert the patient – assuming it’s not too late.
In the second video, the Professor speaks to the History of Health Care in the United States, which is not as good as the Health Care Delivery systems in other nations (this is the Professors Opinion – based on costs – obviously, not quality of care). In this video one learns that the Professor, who has written a book on the subject, believes that the unions were responsible for health care reform in the early part of his one hundred year walk through progressive history. He also lauds President Nixon for his liberal stance on healthcare reform, some of which are included in the Obama Health Plan. Altman worked for Nixon, Clinton, and Obama.
When asked why health care deliver in the United States was a mess, he replies that (paraphrasing) “American’s aren’t willing to commit to a single payer system”.
It is apparent that we most likely will not have a choice.
What happens when theses “oversight Committees” who are focused on cost containment, rather than both cost containment and delivery of quality health care, force a provider to contain costs through denying “expensive” tests and procedures which may be life saving (i.e. a little useful)? The residents of Massachusetts will find out sooner or later, and so will those states who have decided to implement the Health Care Act. Of note, the good professor apparently does not either address or perhaps is unaware, as the bill is rather lengthy, what happens to those persons who fall under the limit, or who’s “unions” are exempt from having to comply with the health care law? The balance of those who are in current private pay systems, or are going to be forced into a government system, will reap the rewards of cost-controlled health care. The videos should be watched in full, as this man is now in charge of the Massachusetts health care delivery systems. Death Panels? Cost over care most certainly will result in those who are denied an “expensive, but slightly useful procedure, meeting their demise. This premise is based on human objectivity and human error. If one were to be honest about why the costs of medicine is through the roof, one might want to take a look at the high costs of malpractice insurance providers must pay and the costs of burdensome government regulations. Those are the root, both brought on by government, yet ignored completely. There is no doubt that reform is necessary on several levels, but, if one fails to address the entire delivery system, then that system will fail. It is a question now of who will that system fail? The heavy bet is on the patient.
Video 1
Video 2
Power Politics and Universal Health Care
Interesting article from Kaiser Health News, regarding Nixon and Obama entitled: “Obama's Health Care Dilemma Evokes Memories Of 1974”
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