Docs Are On Board

by Paul Bass | March 25, 2009 3:14 PM | | Comments (1)

DSCN2588.JPGOne day before a critical vote in Hartford, an activist and a top doctor appeared together in New Haven to urge Connecticut to help lead the nation toward health care reform.

The appearance — by Jill Zorn of the Universal Health Care Foundation (UHCF) and of the Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) President William Handelman (pictured) — took place from noon to 1 p.m. at Yale-New Haven Hospital’s Fitkin Amphitheater.

Seventy-five medical students and docs showed up for a regular lunchtime gathering known as “Pediatric Ground Rounds.” Yale had invited Zorn and Handelman to discuss the quest for universal health care in Connecticut.

The invitation turned out to be timely: On Thursday the state legislature’s Public Health Committee will vote on this year’s chief element of that quest: House Bill 6600, to create a state-backed comprehensive plan called SustiNet.

And the pairing was significant. It reflected how reformers have worked from the beginning with doctors and academics to craft, then promote the plan.

UHCF reached out early to CSMS, a federation of eight county medical societies with more than 7,000 member physicians. Docs then accompanied UHCF and other reform advocates to legislative hearings to press the case for the plan.

“We hope fervently that [SustiNet] comes out of committee tomorrow,” Handelman told the audience.

He spoke of the emerging consensus in Washington for reform that offers health coverage to all the nation’s 46 million uninsured; brings costs under control, in part through information technology; and emphasizes preventive care.

“There is this sense that something needs to be done fairly quickly,” Handelman said. The result “could be the most important social legislation since the Great Society.”

DSCN2604.JPGHe and moderator Myron Genel (pictured), a Yale med school professor emeritus of pediatrics, said states would probably have to lead the way before the federal government acts — by passing legislation like Connecticut’s SustiNet.

Zorn, a program officer at UHCF, detailed the plan. It aims to cover 98 percent of Connecticut’s uninsured population by 2014 and lower devastating premiums for working families and small businesses. A recent report revealed that a quarter of Connecticut’s population under 65 years old, or about 758,000, lacked health insurance at some point in 2007 and 2008.

SustiNet’s highlights include:

• Creating a large insurance pool that unites families on Medicaid/HUSKY; 200,000 state employees and retirees; families without health insurance from an employer; and people having trouble affording high-cost, low-quality insurance on the job. That public insurance pool would bargain for lower rates, portability, and full quality coverage, including dental and mental health benefits. The plan wouldn’t replace private insurance; people would have a choice between SustiNet and existing current private plans.

Digitizing medical records linked to a central database. That would be a requirement for doctors and hospitals participating in the plan.

• Creating “medical homes” that offer patients round-the-clock central coordination of their health care as well as guidance in managing it.

• Relying “periodic quality review” of providers and “evidence-based medicine.” Docs adhering to that standard would have a “safe harbor” from malpractice liability in cases that don’t involve negligence.

• Preventive public-health campaigns against obesity and tobacco use and in support of community screenings and immunizations.

Click here for more details about the plan.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell last year vetoed a bill passed by the legislature that would have created a similar, broadened state insurance pool. She relied on controversial last-minute estimates from insurers — who stood to lose profits under the plan — that a larger pool would actually increase, not decrease, costs.

This year at least one prospective 2010 candidate for governor, Democrat Susan Bysiewicz, has made SustiNet a central campaign plank.

“They’ve given us a lot of ideas to make the proposal better,” Jill Zorn said of the docs at CSMS, after Wednesday’s event. “And here we are sitting next to each other.”







Share this story

Share |

Comments

Posted by: jacksmith | March 25, 2009 6:36 PM

Finally, the time has arrived to fix Americas Healthcare crisis, and Americas healthcare nightmare. Hundreds of thousands of you are killed needlessly every year by your healthcare delivery system in a rush to profit. And because of a rush to profit Hundreds of thousands more of you are needlessly dying from treatable illness that people in other developed and civilized countries don't DIE! from. Rich, middle class, and poor alike. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.

Additionally, thousands more of you are driven into financial ruin, and bankruptcy just because you, or one of your loved ones got sick or injured. And all of this is happening at a time when America spends twice as much of it's GDP (Gross Domestic Productivity) on health care than any other country in the developed world. Individual Americans spend about ten times as much on health care as any other people in the developed world. This is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. AND IT MUST END!

But before we can truly fix this healthcare crisis and disgrace, everyone needs to clearly understand what the problem is. And everyone needs to clearly understand the real enormity of the problem. The problem is that HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL DELIVERY IN AMERICA IS SEVERELY CORRUPTED AND COMPROMISED BY GREED! AND THE PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MOTIVE. And it is corrupted, and compromised IN EVERY ASPECT, AND EVERY PLACE OF HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL DELIVERY. Unfortunately for all Americans, compromised healthcare ALWAYS results in needless suffering, injury, disability, and or death. Which is exactly what is happening now in America in shocking numbers.

Health care is NOT! a private for profit business. Healthcare is an essential public service. Like police, and fire. And healthcare is also a human right! PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE IS AN OXYMORON, AND AN IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL PERVERSION OF HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

So how do we fix this healthcare disgrace? I believe the fix for Americas healthcare disaster is essentially the same thing that every other developed country in the World has essentially done. "NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX PAYER SUPPORTED, SINGLE PAYER, AUTOMATIC, FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL". Essentially HR676 (enhanced, and improved medicare for all). Just like every other CIVILIZED! country in the developed World has. There is no other way to truly fix and reform our current disastrous healthcare delivery system.

All Universal health care systems work best when everyone participates. But I know that the healthcare lobby, and some politicians will try and undermine "Not For Profit, Tax payer supported, Single payer, Automatic, Free Universal Healthcare for all" by falsely claiming that it will limit your choice, and require you to participate.

So, I propose that everyone be included in the national plan unless they choose to opt out. If you opt out and need medical care the national plan will insure your provider that they will be reimbursed under the rules for members in the national plan. But those who opted out, and their insurer will be responsible for the FULL! cost to the national plan for providing your care if you or your private insurer fails to reimburse the provider or the national plan in a timely manor to at least the standards of the national plan.

Including reporting you to credit agencies, withholding of taxes, leans, and garnishment of wages for unpaid medical bills. Just like you have now under private for profit healthcare, and private for profit health insurance.

Further, people who opted out will be required to provide proof of financial responsibility for future illness or be required to participate in the national plan. And everyone with children will be required to participate in the national plan. Or provide proof of insurance coverage on each child to the standards of the national plan. It will be against the law to report anyone in the national plan to a credit agency for unpaid medical bills.

Frankly, only a dope would want to opt out of the national plan and opt to keep our current disastrous private for profit medical, and insurance plans. But they will be free to choose. The most important thing is that the vast majority of Americans that want the protection, benefits, and higher quality of a universal national plan have that choice.

You see, one of the most important aspects of a universal healthcare system is easy access, and patient protection. This is accomplished by having a single payer without a conflict of interest in patient care. And by having a payer who has the power to enforce minimum standards of excellence in healthcare delivery for everyone in the plan. This is much of what Medicare does now for senors. "Aeger Primo" (The patient comes first). Unfortunately in our healthcare system the patient comes last. We are just a peace of meat to them. Cash cows to be slaughtered for profit.

So this is IT! my fellow Americans, My fellow human beings, My fellow World Citizens. And my fellow Cyber Warriors. :-) The time has come. D day. H hour. HEALTHCARE REFORM THIS YEAR! Let no one stand in our way. Contact your representative and tell them you want "Not For Profit, Tax Payer Supported, Single Payer, Automatic, Free Universal healthcare for all. And tell them you want that choice now. Tell them you want President Obama's budget passed without delay. President Obama's budget is brilliant. And exactly what is needed now.

President Obama, and his allies will need all the support you can give them. The healthcare lobby will try to take out his people if they can, like they did with Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer. And they will try to neutralize President Obama's popularity, and political power. Or they will try to take him down someway. Don't stand for it. If they attack him. Go after them ten times harder and remove them from office. We had an election. And you the people chose President Obama's leadership, and change agenda. Let no one in government disrespect the will of the American people and remain in office.

SPREAD THE WORD! And talk it up with your families, friends, and coworkers. Keep ratcheting up the pressure until there is a ROAR! across America for "NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX PAYER SUPPORTED, SINGLE PAYER, AUTOMATIC, FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL".

Let's get this healthcare reform done now my fellow Americans. This year. Take no prisoners.

God Bless All Of You


Jack Smith -- Working Class :-)

http://jacksmithworkingclass.blogspot.com/
(http://jacksmithworkingclass.blogspot.com/)

Sections

Neighborhood News

Special Sections

Legal Notices

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links


Flyerboard

Sponsors

N.H.I. Site Design & Development

NHI Store

Buy New Haven Independent Stuff

News Feed

Powered by
Movable Type 3.35