The DJP Update

Patients’ Group Concerned Over Increasing Health Care Costs

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Coalition to Protect Patients Rights (CPPR) spokesman Donald J. Palmisano, MD, expressed concern this week over the recently passed health care bill’s flaws after new survey results indicated that overall health care costs actually will increase following the bill’s passage.

“by enabling unelected bureaucrats to make sweeping additional cuts to the Medicare program every year without Congressional approval. And the failure to restore liberty to patients and physicians to negotiate fees for the care needed continues to decrease access to care for patients in their hour of need.”

“It’s not surprising to those of us who paid attention to the legislative process that a new government analysis would show health care costs are going to be higher under the reform bill than they would have been without passage of the law,” Dr. Palmisano said. “What I’m most concerned about, however, is that these increased costs will add to the difficulty of patients getting the care they so desperately need. We need less government and more care in our health care system.”

“In addition to failing to rein in health care spending, the health bill’s cuts to the Medicare program’s funding will impede the ability of American patients to get the care they need,” Dr. Palmisano said.

Dr. Palmisano also addressed the planned creation of the Independent Payment Advisory Board which is tasked with cutting Medicare spending, saying it would adversely affect patient access to care “by enabling unelected bureaucrats to make sweeping additional cuts to the Medicare program every year without Congressional approval. And the failure to restore liberty to patients and physicians to negotiate fees for the care needed continues to decrease access to care for patients in their hour of need.”

Adding to the frustration regarding the bill, a Harvard study on medical liability costs in the United States, which the bill did not address, put the price of the current medical malpractice system at over $55 billion a year.

Said Palmisano on the subject: “The amount of money spent by doctors defending themselves from medical malpractice lawsuits in the flawed system is an unnecessary waste of money. Reflecting the meritless nature of many lawsuits, 82% of the cases are closed without payment to claimant and the doctor wins at trial 87% of the time. These billions could instead be used to provide patients with better health care or to reduce overall costs.”

The Coalition to Protect Patients Rights worked hard to achieve patient-centered health care reform during the course of the health care debate, staunchly opposing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act due to its failure to protect patients’ rights.

About the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights: The Coalition to Protect Patients Rights is a non-partisan, grassroots coalition made up of over 10,000 doctors, health care providers, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens who are dedicated to the implementation of patient-centered health care reform that will improve patient care. For more information, visit the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights website at www.protectpatientsrights.org. Also, check out CPPR’s Facebook account here, and its Twitter feed at PatientsNOW.