DJP Update 7-11-2012 Travels, PPACA, and interviews
The debate continues after the Supreme Court ruling on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
You already know why I believe the law, PPACA, is not the solution to quality, cost, and access in medical care. I have written about it in this blog and in Op-Eds with former AMA presidents Dr. Bill Plested and Dr. Daniel “Stormy” Johnson. We offered an alternative. It is not new. The components can be found in long-standing AMA policy. I spoke about getting government out of the practice of medicine when I first testified to Congress, namely, in 1976, before the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives hearing on National Health Insurance.
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled the individual mandate is constitutional as a tax. (But not constitutional under the Commerce Clause).
Page 58: The individual mandate cannot be upheld as an exercise of Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause. That Clause authorizes Congress to regulate interstate commerce, not to order individuals to engage in it.
So it stands as a tax. The Supreme Court is the final word but Chief Justice Roberts added these comments in the majority decision:
Page 44: Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness.
Page 6: Members of this Court are vested with the authority to interpret the law; we possess neither the expertise nor the prerogative to make policy judgments. Those decisions are entrusted to our Nation’s elected leaders, who can be thrown our of office if the people disagree with them. It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.
The question now is how will the practicing physician and the patients participate and get the people who make the laws understand what is happening to the practice of medicine. It is important for every doctor to communicate to those in office and running for office what actually happens with new laws, regulations, and price-fixing. Grousing around the coffee pot is not enough. You can get letters in the newspapers, comment on radio or TV, and visit your member of Congress when back in home district. The practice of medicine is at risk.
Here are some recent media events I participated in. There will be lots of them this week in multiple states.
The links of a few are here if you wish to view or hear.
PBS NEWSHOUR video
http://www.tv.com/shows/pbs-newshour/watch/from-hallelujah-to-sadness-stakeholders-react-2498982/
Podcast of Toledo radio show 1370 WSPD (podcast of yesterday’s interview with Brian Wilson via one of these links.) Discussion of PPACA, SGR, IPAB, recent surveys of physicians, and an alternative to PPACA.
http://www.wspd.com/cc-common/podcast/single_page.html?podcast=Brian
http://www.wspd.com/player/?station=WSPD-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=Brian.xml&mid=22251328
Article about my presentation at Buckeye Institute yesterday in Columbus, Ohio. Here is an article in Columbus Dispatch that also has AMA comment the reporter obtained.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/07/11/coalition-fighting-new-health-care-law.html
It is unfortunate that the comments of Dr. Boyd Hoddinott, family practice physician in Bellefontaine, Ohio were not included as they were good. He now is an American citizen who practiced for over 20 years in Canada. He currently is the Health Commissioner for Logan County in Ohio and shared important information about waiting lists. It is important to hear from patients and doctors who practice in other systems.
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Remember, if we as physicians keep doing what we have been doing to effect proposed laws and present laws, we will keep getting the same results. We all need to be more involved and speak up. It is on our watch and some of us are about to leave the field of advocacy as the years flee by. Don’t be intimidated by others. And when others try to attack you and change the real issues in the debate, remind everyone what the debate issues are and how sad it is that the opponent has to do personal attacks rather than dealing with the issues. Do your homework, have courage, and don’t give up. That is what liberty is all about. It is not secure unless you stand up for it. Resist coercion.
Stay well.
Donald
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Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
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