Many skeptical on health cost-cutting

[Forkboy]

Some Democrats say plans don’t check spending

WASHINGTON - As health care legislation moves toward a crucial airing in the Senate, the White House is facing a growing revolt from some Democrats and analysts who say the bills Congress is considering do not fulfill President Obama’s promise to slow the runaway rise in health care spending.

Obama has made cost containment a centerpiece of his health care agenda, and in May he stood up at the White House with industry groups who pledged voluntary efforts to trim the growth of health care spending by 1.5 percent, or $2 trillion, over the next decade. But the bills, including one passed Saturday night by the House, may not meet that goal, analysts say.

Analysts - including some who have consulted closely with the White House, like Dr. Denis A. Cortese, chief executive of the Mayo Clinic - say the measures take only baby steps toward revamping the current fee-for-service system, which drives up costs by paying health providers for each visit or procedure performed.

Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and member of the Finance Committee who has worked on health policy, also sounded skeptical. “My assessment at this point,’’ Wyden said, “is that the legislation is heavy on health and light on reform.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/10/many_skeptical_on_health_cost_cutting/

[DrToast]

1. I'm somewhat skeptical, but I think it's more important to get everyone covered

Once that's done, you can't undo it. The people would revolt. If the current bill doesn't contain costs enough, you can always take more steps down the road. Hell, maybe in a few years we'll be ready for the Wyden-Bennett exchanges.

[truedelphi]

2. This OP states one of the most massive "blunders"

Of the whole "reform" effort.

Look at this definition of "Cost containment"
Cost containment: Work being done locally and nationally to control the rising costs of health care including reducing overuse of health services, addressing provider reimbursement problems, eliminating waste, and increasing efficiency in the health-care system.

Note that NOWHERE in the definition is there any discussion of the real reason for the rising costs.

Which is, as most of us know, that these greedy scum-sucking sons of bitches are unregulated and can make the cost of anything whatever they want.

Our care as patients has worsened as the costs go up. hospitals i have worked in have non sterile bandages labeled as "sterile" but if you examine the date of them, they are over eight years old and therefore fail the sterility tests. People are booted out of hospital immediately after surgery - told to go home and despite being groggy and what not, expected to do their own wound treatment at home by themselves.

And for this, we PAY MORE!! And MORE!! AND MORE!!

This is criminal, and no one has addressed it.