 |
| HOMEPAGE |
|
| MEDICAL SERVICES |
|
| OUR MEDICAL TEAM |
| Martha Grout, MD, MD(H) Associates Staff |
|
| LOCATION and CONTACT |
| 9328 E. Raintree Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Maps & Directions |
|
| RESOURCE LIBRARY |
| Health conditions, articles Newsletters |
|
| INSURANCE QUESTIONS |
|
| SEARCH THE SITE |
|
| RECOMMENDED LINKS |
|
FREE CONSULTATION If you would like to schedule a 15 minute phone consultation at no charge with us to determine how we can help you, call 480-240-2600. If you want to send us a brief description of the issue you would like help with, email info@Arizona AdvancedMedicine.com |
Special Advisory - The National Health Care Reform Debate Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine9328 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85060 Phone: 480-240-2600 Fax: 480-240-2601 www.ArizonaAdvancedMedicine.com August 27, 2009 Last night, I attended a physicians' meeting in Scottsdale called by Representative John Shadegg to discuss national health care reform. I wanted to hear first hand from a legislator, rather than just relying upon what I read in the paper. I thought you might appreciate it if I shared my notes from that meeting because, regardless of our political affiliations, we all care deeply about being able to choose our health care:  Rep. John Shadegg said he has read every page of HR 3200, the health care reform bill architected by the Democrats. The stack of paper that makes up the bill stood about 8 inches tall on the podium."We are on the brink of major changes that I believe would further damage an already struggling system." He described HR 3200 as a government takeover of health care. "It takes away your health plan and your doctor." He explained that employer and group health insurance plans are grandfathered for 5 years, then go away. After 5 years, every policy must include what HR 3200 includes: Changes in fee schedules such that younger people will cost more than they do now. Every insurance policy must have the same appeals process, he said. A health services advisory board will be created to write guidelines dictating fees and coverage. "Today you have the employer standing between doctors and patient choice. With HR 3200, you will have layers of government bureaucracy in between. That will be much worse. The stunning stuff is in the first 50 pages of the bill. Print it out and read it." Rep. Shadegg described himself as a free market Republican who believes strongly in patients having a choice in their health care. He compared health insurance to auto insurance. "Auto insurance responds to public pressure. If you get a notice that your rates went up, you pick up the phone and call Geico or Progressive or State Farm - whomever - and get another quote. Somebody will offer you more coverage for less. And you get to dedide what coverage you want. That's the free market. But there will be no free market in health care under HR 3200." Rep. Shadegg said most of the doctors he has spoken with do not think the current proposal is okay. Doctors in the room last night agreed. Most in the room last night take insurance. There was general agreement that too little money goes to the physician, too much to the insurance industry which Rep. Shadegg described as having "cut themselves a fat hog." He said the health insurance industry responds to incentives created by the government and the government is to be blamed for the current high price of health care. HR 3200 will make matters worse, he said. One doctor said he can walk into his office on any given day and find he has lost 20 percent of his patients because an insurance provider list changed. "We lose patients because insurance changes, not because of poor relationship with patients." Rep. Shadegg said it is a core belief of the Democrats that health insurance is complicated, the American public does not understand it, thus they don't deserve patient choice and a government plan will be created. He said the biggest issue is not pre-existing conditions or chronic conditions. It is cost. A government run health care allows for rationing. He displayed a chart that showed the USA has the best rates of cancer recovery; countries with government run care have lower rates.  Another handout Rep. Shadegg had was the Wall Street Journal editorial of August 11th written by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods. One doctor asked if someone couldn't make a bill following Mackey's script for health care reform. Rep. Shadegg agreed Mackey's points were very good. The kind of take-responsibility-for-your-own-health that is integral to the health care plans developed by Whole Foods and Safeway will not survive under HR 3200. Rep. Shadegg said he and two other Republicans have created bills/amendments which revolve around individual choice and free market competition. Rep. Shadegg's bill is the Health Care Choice Act, H.R. 4460, a bill which allows consumers "to purchase an affordable health insurance policy with a range of options. The Health Care Choice Act will break down state-imposed barriers to insurance and allow individuals to purchase health insurance, in much the same way as they currently purchase auto or homeowner's insurance. Ultimately, this would force the health care industry to price plans more competitively, meaning lower prices and better care for the consumer. Under these improved circumstances, more Americans would purchase healthcare coverage, thereby reducing the strain on taxpayers." All 3 Republican bills agree that:
 Rep. Shadegg described HR 3200 as a bill written by the insurance industry for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). And the "industry" includes a lot of players. "The trial lawyers are for it, the Democrats get a lot of money from them, so there is not one word about tort reform (medical malpractice) in it. Organized labor is pushing hard for it. The AARP is really just a health insurance company so they love HR 3200. The AMA looked at this one dimensionally. The AMA asked if there will be a SGR update (Medicare payments) and was told yes so on that basis they said they were for it. Bad decision. The government has co-opted your profession. The AMA is in the coding business, they are not representing you."Are people really pleased with the health care they are getting? Speaking for my patients – many of them come to me saying they saw their insurance-covered doctor for their newly diagnosed diabetes, and were handed pills to take for lowering their blood sugar, lowering their blood pressure, lowering their cholesterol. Yet how come they feel so awful? They come to me for care which is not provided by their health insurance, because I help them lower their blood sugar naturally, lower their blood pressure, lower their cholesterol without side effects. They eat better, need no medications, have no more inflammation, live longer and feel really better for many more years. From where I sit, patient choice is invaluable. BOTTOM LINE  Rep. Shadegg said the bill is likely to pass because Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi "is one tough nut, will not back down. The town halls are not enough to stop this. Because the Democrats have a majority, they are ignoring the public rabble and listening only to the moneyed interests." Rep Shadegg said even some of the Republicans don't get it. "Yesterday in Sun City, Sen. John McCain was asked about the profits of the insurance industry and he failed to condemn them. You need to go see these people, talk to them, because they are the ones who will vote. You need to change their minds." AZ Representatives - http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#az AZ Senators - http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=AZ |
|
Serving the Phoenix metro area including Scottsdale, Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, Tempe,
Paradise Valley, Peoria, Cave Creek, Carefree, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee, Queen Creek
