Health Care: Good Advice from Experts
16/10/09 03:47
- Robin Lumb, the health care policy analyst for the Duval County Republican Party, expressed our views well by suggesting that patients and their physicians should be placed in charge. Post prices. Allow competition across state lines. End state mandates. End permitting for new health care facilities. In short, empower the private sector to truly compete. That simply isn't happening today.
- David Meyer, vice president for strategic planning, business development and marketing at St. Vincent's HealthCare, expressed the widespread view that we should move away from fee-for-service payments. Pay health care providers for outcomes.
- Randy Kammer, vice president of regulatory affairs and public policy for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, made the logical point that an individual mandate is needed for health insurance coverage, especially if there will be no denials allowed for pre-existing conditions. Whatever system is used, unnecessary and duplicative care should be eliminated. Unless costs are driven down, the crisis will not end.
- Brian Klepper, an Atlantic Beach health care analyst, and David Kibbe, a physician and consultant to the American Academy of Family Physicians, made the logical point that if there is about 30 percent waste in the current system, then cut that waste to fund new programs.
- Tad Fisher of Jacksonville, executive vice president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and Leslie Champlin of Kansas City, public relations manager for the American Academy of Family Physicians, favor a three-part plan: An exchange so consumers can compare; subsidies for those who can't afford it; and tax incentives to buy insurance. They also noted that primary care physicians need to be engaged so that patients have skilled advocates.
As this page has written previously, driving down cost will focus attention on the tough choices that need to be made. So far, the Democratic plans are too vague on cost reductions and specific on cost increases.
- David Meyer, vice president for strategic planning, business development and marketing at St. Vincent's HealthCare, expressed the widespread view that we should move away from fee-for-service payments. Pay health care providers for outcomes.
- Randy Kammer, vice president of regulatory affairs and public policy for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, made the logical point that an individual mandate is needed for health insurance coverage, especially if there will be no denials allowed for pre-existing conditions. Whatever system is used, unnecessary and duplicative care should be eliminated. Unless costs are driven down, the crisis will not end.
- Brian Klepper, an Atlantic Beach health care analyst, and David Kibbe, a physician and consultant to the American Academy of Family Physicians, made the logical point that if there is about 30 percent waste in the current system, then cut that waste to fund new programs.
- Tad Fisher of Jacksonville, executive vice president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and Leslie Champlin of Kansas City, public relations manager for the American Academy of Family Physicians, favor a three-part plan: An exchange so consumers can compare; subsidies for those who can't afford it; and tax incentives to buy insurance. They also noted that primary care physicians need to be engaged so that patients have skilled advocates.
As this page has written previously, driving down cost will focus attention on the tough choices that need to be made. So far, the Democratic plans are too vague on cost reductions and specific on cost increases.