DJP Update 6-28-2011 – Another bad idea bites the dust: “Mystery Shoppers” & some recent tweets including the Mystery Shopper issue
(I predict IPAB will be next to disappear!)
Breaking News from Politico:
Subject: Health Care Breaking News
The Obama administration has abandoned a controversial plan to have “secret shoppers” pose as patients looking for doctors, saying that “now is not the time to move forward with this research project.”
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Also Fox News talked to HHS:
Obama Administration Pulls the Plug on Stealth Survey of Doctors
by Megan Dumpe Kenworthy | June 28, 2011
The Obama administration has decided to pull the plug on the so-called mystery shoppers who were going to covertly phone doctors across the country in an effort to gauge shortages in primary care physicians that critics say are linked to the president’s health care law.
The proposed study was still in the planning stages, but was intended to address what the administration called a “critical public policy problem.” First revealed to the public Monday by the New York Times, the mystery shoppers were to call medical practices posing as a patient, then ask about accepted insurance providers and wait times to see a doctor.
As the news came out, the White House was attacked by doctors and critics as being “creepy” and imploring Big Brother tactics.
“After reviewing feedback received during the public comment period,” a Health and Human Services official told Fox News, “we have determined that now is not the time to move forward with this research project. Instead, we will pursue other initiatives that build on our efforts to increase access to health care providers nationwide.”
Fox News White House correspondent Mike Emanuel contributed to this report.
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TWEETS are below. And don’t fail to read the U.S. Supreme Court case Bond v. United States. The Wall Street Journal has an article on it today.
Here are two excerpts from the WSJ article:
link to article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304314404576411612870957044.html
JUNE 28, 2011
An ObamaCare Legal Precedent? Justice Kennedy gives a boost to the doctrine of enumerated powers.
By DAVID B. RIVKIN JR. AND LEE A. CASEY
The Supreme Court’s most important ruling this year may have been its unanimous decision in Bond v. United States, which held that individual citizens can challenge federal statutes when they encroach on authority the Constitution reserves to the states. The decision, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, has far-reaching implications—especially for the government’s efforts to defend ObamaCare.
The Supreme Court disagreed. With an unusual unanimity, the court held squarely that individual citizens have every right to challenge federal laws on the ground that they exceed the limited and enumerated powers vested in Congress by the Constitution. The court stated without equivocation that “[b]y denying any one government complete jurisdiction over all the concerns of public life, federalism protects the liberty of the individual from arbitrary power. When the government acts in excess of its lawful powers, that liberty is at stake.”
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Here is the link to the OPINION: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-1227.pdf
NOTE this: KENNEDY, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. GINSBURG, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which BREYER, J., joined.
AND NOTE THIS EXCERPT:
(1) Federalism has more than one dynamic. In allocating powers between the States and National Government, federalism “ ‘secures to citizens the liberties that derive from the diffusion of sovereign power,’ ” New York v. United States, 505 U. S. 144, 181. It enables States to enact positive law in response to the initiative of those who seek a voice in shaping the destiny of their own times, and it protects the liberty of all persons within a State by ensuring that law enacted in excess of delegated governmental power cannot direct or control their actions.
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As I said previously, I believe the U.S. Supreme Court will rule PPACA unconstitutional and that Justice Kennedy will be the swing vote against the individual mandate. This case of Bond v. United States reinforces my view.
Regardless of whether I am right or wrong in my view, prudent individuals and organizations would utilize my “Big A” in my Big A and 25 C’s risk management lecture on the Intrepid Website.
In effect, it says, the Big A says: “ANTICIPATE what could go wrong and be prepared.”
Thus, what advice do the medical organizations have for all of those doctors who are rearranging their practices, closing private practices, and joining hospitals, etc. IF the law is declared unconstitutional. Best to be prepared for Hurricanes and other major events AND dramatic court decisions that reverse the rush to join an unproven experiment.
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And now the tweets.
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
#SCOTUS case Bond v. United States, authored by Justice Kennedy, may be stake in heart of #PPACA individual mandate. #WSJopinion #hcr #tcot
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Let each state decide its own fate; this will fail RT @HCPolicy: Vermont Becomes First State With Single Payerhttp://bit.ly/mhNvcW
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Remains true today: “One need not to be a prophet to be aware of impending dangers.” The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek; #tcot
dramerling Richard Amerling
by DJPNEWS
“@RadsDocDancer: How the Experts Are Wrecking Healthcare – Andrew Foy, MD – Mises Daily mises.org/daily/5320/How…” Very well done!
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Reason Kindle decreased price of device was launch of iPad & Nook – competition! Not gov mandate. Gov needs to learn this lesson for #hcr
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Re #hcr : Free Enterprise System with Transparency, Individual Responsibility, Liberty, & Choice trumps central gov control & coercion.
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
The fix for #hcr – repeal #PPACA – indiv ownership health policies & buy across state lines, tax credits indiv; eliminate price-fixing, etc
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Mystery Shoppers, Mandates, Price-Fixing, oppressive Regs, broken Liability sys = death of MEDICINE; Who will be left to treat sick? #hcr
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
AMA support wrong. Vote No RT @sonodoc99: @DJPNEWS @aapsonine Was AMA’s position on #Mandate right? Please take..poll. tinyurl.com/6zrgjhq
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Jury says former Illinois Gov Blagojevich guilty on multiple counts!
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Dr Manny Alvarez @FoxNews says gov will use mystery shopper data to “coerce & intimidate doctors.” Says gov “lying on phone”. #tcot #hcr
DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Economics In One Lesson MT @aapsonline: @benrushsocietyPrice ceilings cause shortages. Always. It will be harder to get appt. Less Dr time
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Stay well!
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