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medpundit |
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Monday, September 06, 2004Bush sees healthcare as a private business, between patient and physician. His plan is based on a simple premise: everyone should be able to choose a plan that meets their needs at a price they can afford. This is accomplished by expanding the depth and breadth of tools like Medical Savings Accounts and tax credits, encouraging the return of fee for service. Kerry's primary focus is on ensuring that 95 percent of Americans, as well as 100 percent of children, will receive healthcare coverage. He does that through a variety of rather complicated mechanisms. The cost — at least $653 billion — would be paid by repealing many of the Bush tax cuts. But as I re-read the Kerry healthcare plan, I realized something was missing: Physicians. Except for a discussion of medical malpractice, physicians are mentioned only in passing references, and then as one of several players in determining patient outcomes. In Kerry's healthcare world, physicians exist implicitly, only as "providers" within the explicit world of "lawyers, insurers, and employers." Certainly the Kerry plan is not the only place physicians are lumped in with all "providers." But in the complicated healthcare world envisioned by Kerry's plan, physicians are seemingly unimportant and invisible. Patient outcomes improve; efficiencies materialize; all without physicians. Just an oversight? In Bush's healthcare world, physicians play a leading role: As he explains: "We must reform healthcare in America ... giving patients more options, fewer orders, and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship. Indeed, as they say. Indeed. posted by Sydney on 9/06/2004 11:52:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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