Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (13871)	3/4/2010 9:53:00 AM
From: Lane3	2 Recommendations Respond to of 42652

Virtual colonoscopy and the message President Obama sent March 4, 2010 0 President Obama had a well-publicized routine health exam last week. One of the more controversial issues was the virtual colonoscopy he received. It’s been well covered here that virtual colonoscopy doesn’t have the same diagnostic accuracy as a traditional colonoscopy, and in fact, is not covered by Medicare or most third party payers. With the President obtaining one, does that send out the wrong message? Of course, radiologists — who stand to benefit financially from increased use of virtual colonoscopies — are applauding his decision. Mark Klein, writing in The Wall Street Journal, says,”He and his physicians correctly recognized virtual colonoscopy as an excellent alternative to screen for colon cancer. Why undergo a traditional colonoscopy—a procedure that carries a risk of serious complication and requires sedation—when a safer screening method is available?” Dr. Klein neglects to mention that virtual colonoscopies may miss smaller polyps, and exposes patients to radiation as well as the possibility of unrelated false positives that a CT scan can find. In fact, the USPSTF recommends against virtual colonoscopy as a way to screen for colon cancer. Perhaps more interesting is the message it sends to millions of Americans during this tenuous time of health reform: [Virtual colonoscopy] is not a covered service under Medicare and many third party payers . . . The president is receiving medical care that the average American cannot and probably should not receive, he is being treated in a way not recognized by many medical societies, and he is avoiding a test — colonoscopy — that millions of Americans are avoiding wrongly. Not a great way to lead by example. Indeed. kevinmd.com

To: Lane3 who wrote (13871)	3/4/2010 9:59:54 AM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

I don't think there's any way to get there politically. Too many people think that health care should grow on trees. But if we wanted to do it we'd go back to an insurance model where we bought major medical policies against the risk of big, bad things happening and we'd use other mechanisms for the regular stuff. Other mechanisms would include paying for each service ourselves, maybe using HSA's for the money, using providers that worked by capitation or concierge-type services, and Walmart-type clinics. Providers would publish qualifications and price lists, just like any other business. Interesting thought... maybe that's where the "free market" is taking us right now (baby steps). The current model looks increasingly broken, and as premiums continue to skyrocket more and more employers will offer no or very, very lean insurance "benefits". I suppose eventually, over a very long time as more and more "beneficiaries" become individual consumers, a free market would take a toe hold and very slowly drive down cost. But the pain of that slow transition... I imagine that it would get very ugly as fewer and fewer could afford health care and there were more and more medical bankruptcies.

To: Lane3 who wrote (13871)	3/4/2010 10:09:53 AM
From: Alighieri	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

I don't think there's any way to get there politically. Too many people think that health care should grow on trees. But if we wanted to do it we'd go back to an insurance model where we bought major medical policies against the risk of big, bad things happening and we'd use other mechanisms for the regular stuff. That describes my health care plan. I have a high deductible, an out of pocket max and good coverage for serious crises. But I can afford the risk...many folks can't. Al