Comments on: THE 7 MYTHS OF MASSIVELY INEFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE REFORM http://www.hydeonhealthcare.com/seven-health-care-reform-myths.html Stephen S. S. Hyde On Health Care Reform Topics Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:39:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Rich http://www.hydeonhealthcare.com/seven-health-care-reform-myths.html/comment-page-1#comment-112 Rich Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:32:41 +0000 http://www.hydeonhealthcare.com/?p=334#comment-112 Good points. On fee for service.. I am amazed at the thinking that alloting a certain number of dollars for a diagnosis would be a good thing. Seems to me it would incentivize doing as little as possible. I have not seen too many tests and diagnostics done. It's usually the other way around. My mom is on Medicare and when we felt a breast MRI was better, we actually had to have a meeting with a group of hospital folks including a radiologist. we had amde it clear that we would pay out of pocket if Medicare wouldn't approve. Just do it please. Still..a meeting was called. After much talk..I asked teh radiologist whether in this instance the MRI would be better and he said yes without hesitation. The oncologist ran it through Medicare and it was approved. We continue to deal with this issue regarding CT versus PET/CT scans in a recurrent cancer situation. We like the oncologist (different from other scenario) but can't understand his hesitation to use PET, even though the last time another interventional radiologist ordered one, the oncologist found greater utility in it and it informed the next treatment decisions. So..my experience is that there can be a strange silent rationing out of prejudice/ageism or misinformation. How refreshing it would be to hear a Dr. Say, "insurance may not cover it but, medically speaking, _____would be superior." On insurance, I think high deductible, low premium policies would make people more informed as to what care costs while safeguarding the patient when problems mount. EMR can be a great improvement in access to information. But my Dad was recently in a hospital that he's been to many times. We figure all his records are there and they are familiar with him so we continue to go there even though things aren't all that we hope at times. I was talking to the hospitalist and he was surprised when I mentioned his voluminous record. I think something simple on the computer screen should alert folks that there is background information available. Regarding the young and inurance, I was paying a low rate for an individual policy from age 23 on. When peers told me insurance was too expensive, I quoted my premium to them and they revised their statement to something like "Oh..well...I just don't think I should have to pay" Fine. Sign this form acknowledging your full responsibility for all medical care costs under all circumstances. Good points.
On fee for service.. I am amazed at the thinking that alloting a certain number of dollars for a diagnosis would be a good thing. Seems to me it would incentivize doing as little as possible. I have not seen too many tests and diagnostics done. It’s usually the other way around. My mom is on Medicare and when we felt a breast MRI was better, we actually had to have a meeting with a group of hospital folks including a radiologist. we had amde it clear that we would pay out of pocket if Medicare wouldn’t approve. Just do it please. Still..a meeting was called. After much talk..I asked teh radiologist whether in this instance the MRI would be better and he said yes without hesitation. The oncologist ran it through Medicare and it was approved. We continue to deal with this issue regarding CT versus PET/CT scans in a recurrent cancer situation. We like the oncologist (different from other scenario) but can’t understand his hesitation to use PET, even though the last time another interventional radiologist ordered one, the oncologist found greater utility in it and it informed the next treatment decisions. So..my experience is that there can be a strange silent rationing out of prejudice/ageism or misinformation. How refreshing it would be to hear a Dr. Say, “insurance may not cover it but, medically speaking, _____would be superior.”

On insurance, I think high deductible, low premium policies would make people more informed as to what care costs while safeguarding the patient when problems mount.

EMR can be a great improvement in access to information. But my Dad was recently in a hospital that he’s been to many times. We figure all his records are there and they are familiar with him so we continue to go there even though things aren’t all that we hope at times. I was talking to the hospitalist and he was surprised when I mentioned his voluminous record. I think something simple on the computer screen should alert folks that there is background information available.
Regarding the young and inurance, I was paying a low rate for an individual policy from age 23 on. When peers told me insurance was too expensive, I quoted my premium to them and they revised their statement to something like “Oh..well…I just don’t think I should have to pay”
Fine. Sign this form acknowledging your full responsibility for all medical care costs under all circumstances.

]]>