DJP Update 3-17-2010 President Obama exclusive interview today; DJP comments about this and AMA; Physician survey: 46% primary care out of Medicine or want to leave if health bill passes; LAGNIAPPE
President Obama in exclusive interview with Special Report host Bret Baier of Fox News March 17, 2010
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/17/obama-tells-fox-news-procedural-spat-health-vote-doesnt-worry/
Video clips also available at that link.
All of the statements below are EXCERPTS from the article at the link above.
“I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or Senate,” Obama said. “What I can tell you is that the vote that’s taken in the House will be a vote for health care reform. And if people vote yes, whatever form that takes, that is going to be a vote for health care reform. And I don’t think we should pretend otherwise. And if they don’t, if they vote against it, then they’re going to be voting against health care reform and they’re going to be voting in favor of the status quo.
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Obama brushed off concerns about the special deals that helped get the Senate bill passed.
“By the time the vote has taken place, not only I will know what’s in it, you’ll know what’s in it because it’s going to be posted and everybody’s going to be able to evaluate it on the merits,” he said.
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“And yes, I have said that this is an ugly process,” he said. “It was ugly when Republicans were in charge. It was ugly when Democrats were in charge.”
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Questions by DJP:
If the process is bad (or “ugly”) when the Republicans do it and bad (or “ugly”) when the Democrats do it, does that justify doing it? Does the end justify the means? As for the “deeming” issue in the House which may be used instead of doing a recorded vote on the bill itself, does the argument that the Republicans did it in past (disregarding the issue of the magnitude of this legislation) justify the Democrats doing it now? Do two wrongs make a right? The answer should be NO to all of these questions if Congress wants to have the Public gain trust in them rather than the free fall Congress is in now.
I did not get the opportunity to ask these questions and a few others I have about the disaster in the details bill in the final stages of the attempt at resuscitation. I would hope the AMA, with a seat at the table, asks such questions PLUS why the liberty right of the “right to contract” is not allowed to physicians without penalty, why the bill has the enormous expansion of boards, why there is no true medical liability reform, and why could not a simple bill with these provisions and market enhancements such as true competition across state lines etc. be done. And why the funny math?
A simple word will end this bill and allow reason to start an appropriate bill. And those who block that, Republicans or Democrats, should be voted out of office. That is the American Way. Not this debacle.
And what is the “simple word”? It is NO! Clock is ticking, AMA. Please listen to your friends because you and I know, AMA has collected a few enemies over the years and you can’t look to them for help in the years ahead. Be strong. Be courageous. Be decisive.
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DJP: Didn’t need a survey to conclude these findings below. Price-fixing and more government micro-management always leads to this in the history of the world.
http://www.themedicusfirm.com/pages/medicus-media-survey-reveals-impact-health-reform
“In a physician survey conducted December 2009 by The Medicus Firm, a national physician search firm, 24.7% of physicians stated that they would “retire early” if a public option is implemented, and an additional 21.0% of respondents stated that they would quit practicing medicine, even though they are nowhere near retirement. This brings the amount of physicians who would leave medicine to a total of 45.7%.”
The Medicus Firm Physician Survey: Health Reforms Potential Impact on Physician Supply and Quality of Medical Care
Mar. – Apr. 2010
Key Findings from The Medicus Firm Survey
Physician Support of Health Reform in General
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62.7% of physicians feel that health reform is needed but should be implemented in a more targeted, gradual way, as opposed to the sweeping overhaul that is in legislation.
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28.7% of physicians are in favor of a public option.
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3.6% of physicians prefer the “status quo” and feel that the U.S. health care system is best “as is.
Health Reform and Primary Care Physicians
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46.3% of primary care physicians (family medicine and internal medicine) feel that the passing of health reform will either force them out of medicine or make them want to leave medicine.
Health Reform, Public Option, and Practice Revenue/Physician Income
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41% of physicians feel that income and practice revenue will “decline or worsen dramatically” with a public option.
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30% feel income will “decline or worsen somewhat” with a public option.
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9% feel income will “improve somewhat” with a public option, and 0.8% feel income will “improve dramatically” with a public option.
Health Reform, Public Option, and Physician Supply
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72% of physicians feel that a public option would have a negative impact on physician supply, with 45% feeling it will “decline or worsen dramatically” and 27% predicting it will “decline or worsen somewhat.
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24% of physicians think they will try to retire early if a public option is implemented.
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21% of physicians would try to leave medicine if a public option is implemented, even if not near retirement age at the time.
Health Reform and Recommending Medicine to Others as a Career
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36% of physicians would not recommend medicine as a career, regardless of health reform.
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27% would recommend medicine as a career but not if health reform passes.
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25% of physicians would recommend medicine as a career regardless of health reform.
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12% would not recommend medicine as a career now but feel that they would recommend it as a career if health reform passes
The opinions expressed in the article linked to above represent those of The Medicus Firm only. That article does not represent the opinions of the New England Journal of Medicine or the Massachusetts Medical Society. And the review of articles on the Web confirms this was not published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Now you have full disclosure.
“And note that “The report appeared in Recruiting Physicians Today, an employment newsletter produced by Massachusetts Medical Society, “the publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine.” The report also appeared on the NEJM “CareerCenter” website, but was taken down on March 17. Zeis also said that this article “was written by The Medicus Firm.” ”
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LAGNIAPPE: More info on Twitter to answer a few questions
If you join Twitter, which is free, the tweets do not go to your email if case you are worried about that. And you only get tweets from those you “follow”. You can check your tweets online AND you can put a small program on your BlackBerry or IPhone and the tweets will collect there. You look at them as desired. Nothing beats Twitter for breaking news! It is easy to join.
I have two programs for my tweets on my IPhone. You only need one. But the second one has a few extra features. Think of it as having a sunroof or leather seats. The two I have are: Tweetie and Echophon. Get them at the Apple ITunes Webpage under “Apps”. Both work very well.
For the BlackBerry, look at TwitterBerry:
http://orangatame.com/products/twitterberry
Or
TinyTwitter: http://tinytwitter.com
If you want more info, write me a note and I will recommend my favorite book about Twitter.
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Stay well.
Donald
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Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
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DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
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