Thursday, June 30, 2016
Wisconsin Redistricting Lawsuit Could Reverberate Nationally
Wisconsin Redistricting Lawsuit Could Reverberate Nationally
Comment by Don McCanne
We have some serious problems in health care that need our immediate attention such as administrative excesses, wasteful spending, impaired access, maldistribution of health care
resources, and financial barriers to care. But the health policy community is entrenched in efforts to expand the administrative oversight of our system as somehow being the solution to problems they seem not to have defined. They are adding to the problem of administrative excesses while ignoring what really needs to be done.
David Blumenthal, having been our National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, seems to define the problem as a lack of health data management through a health information exchange. He would create a "robust new business sector" - a "consumer-mediated health information exchange" - providing data services to patients. Just what we need - more administrative excesses!
Right now our government and the health care industry are deeply involved in drafting rules
for the Merit-based Incentive Performance System (MIPS) and the alternative payment model (APM) option as more studies are showing that such efforts are impairing professional satisfaction and increasing physician burnout - more administrative excesses with detrimental outcomes!
We need to start thinking about the patients and a health care system that would best serve their needs. A single payer national health program is specifically designed to address the real problems noted in the first paragraph above. Patients are not looking to interact with personal data managers; they want health care, and they want it now.
Comment by Don McCanne
We have some serious problems in health care that need our immediate attention such as administrative excesses, wasteful spending, impaired access, maldistribution of health care
resources, and financial barriers to care. But the health policy community is entrenched in efforts to expand the administrative oversight of our system as somehow being the solution to problems they seem not to have defined. They are adding to the problem of administrative excesses while ignoring what really needs to be done.
David Blumenthal, having been our National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, seems to define the problem as a lack of health data management through a health information exchange. He would create a "robust new business sector" - a "consumer-mediated health information exchange" - providing data services to patients. Just what we need - more administrative excesses!
Right now our government and the health care industry are deeply involved in drafting rules
for the Merit-based Incentive Performance System (MIPS) and the alternative payment model (APM) option as more studies are showing that such efforts are impairing professional satisfaction and increasing physician burnout - more administrative excesses with detrimental outcomes!
We need to start thinking about the patients and a health care system that would best serve their needs. A single payer national health program is specifically designed to address the real problems noted in the first paragraph above. Patients are not looking to interact with personal data managers; they want health care, and they want it now.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Minnesota Shows Everything Wrong With ObamaCare | Stock News & Stock Market Analysis - IBD
Minnesota Shows Everything Wrong With ObamaCare | Stock News & Stock Market Analysis - IBDN
Not sure about what they say since this is a publication for people who want the corporations to make them money, but it has some comments worth reading.
Not sure about what they say since this is a publication for people who want the corporations to make them money, but it has some comments worth reading.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Friday, June 24, 2016
Justice Department files record $900 million healthcare fraud case - CNN.com
Justice Department files record $900 million healthcare fraud case - CNN.com
Please comment if you know anything about this in terms of private insurance company's role. These reports will be used to bad mouth government programs. Two things - many of these programs are farmed out to private companies as the ones who pay the bills, etc. and if this is happening with Medicare and Medicaid, I assume it is happening with regular health insurance - but no one is allowed to know about it.
Please comment if you know anything about this in terms of private insurance company's role. These reports will be used to bad mouth government programs. Two things - many of these programs are farmed out to private companies as the ones who pay the bills, etc. and if this is happening with Medicare and Medicaid, I assume it is happening with regular health insurance - but no one is allowed to know about it.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Monday, June 20, 2016
Friday, June 17, 2016
The World’s Greatest Health Care Plan
The World’s Greatest Health Care Plan
This is worrisome but needs to be known about as we, hopefully, move ahead on universal access efforts. Way too much of the argument here seems to be based on assumptions and observations that are not based on facts. It also continues the rhetoric of public being bad and private for profit insurance companies being good. It seems as complicated as the ACA. We need a simple system and Medicare for All does that.
This is worrisome but needs to be known about as we, hopefully, move ahead on universal access efforts. Way too much of the argument here seems to be based on assumptions and observations that are not based on facts. It also continues the rhetoric of public being bad and private for profit insurance companies being good. It seems as complicated as the ACA. We need a simple system and Medicare for All does that.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Unsafe Drugs Were Prescribed More Than One Hundred Million Times in the United States Before Being Recalled
Unsafe Drugs Were Prescribed More Than One Hundred Million Times in the United States Before Being Recalled
Comment by Don McCanne
Since it is impossible to read all of the research studies on new drugs, we can be
thankful that we have the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collate
and evaluate all of that information so that we know that new drug
products released on the market have been demonstrated to be both
effective and safe. Or can we? This new study adds to our concerns.
thankful that we have the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collate
and evaluate all of that information so that we know that new drug
products released on the market have been demonstrated to be both
effective and safe. Or can we? This new study adds to our concerns.
With the politics in our nation being under the control of the pro-market
neoliberals and conservatives, the pharmaceutical industry and insurance
companies have been given a most favored status under the belief that
markets will serve the public better if not constrained by supposedly
excessive government oversight.
neoliberals and conservatives, the pharmaceutical industry and insurance
companies have been given a most favored status under the belief that
markets will serve the public better if not constrained by supposedly
excessive government oversight.
In the case of pharmaceuticals, the public can experience the benefits earlier of the
new blockbuster miracle drugs if the government (FDA) will just get out
of the way, or so they say. More recent laws and regulations have
allowed pharmaceutical firms to pay fees to enter an accelerated process
for new drug approval (like buying their way to the front of the
queue). This accelerated process has been expanded to include most new
drugs, ignoring the fact that there may be a conflict of interest when
firms can buy off government regulators to expedite approval of their
products.
new blockbuster miracle drugs if the government (FDA) will just get out
of the way, or so they say. More recent laws and regulations have
allowed pharmaceutical firms to pay fees to enter an accelerated process
for new drug approval (like buying their way to the front of the
queue). This accelerated process has been expanded to include most new
drugs, ignoring the fact that there may be a conflict of interest when
firms can buy off government regulators to expedite approval of their
products.
To be sure that the information evaluated truly represents the value of the new drugs,
pharmaceutical firms have agreed to register all studies in advance and not just the
studies with favorable results. But research studies with adverse
results are still being filed away without public oversight, explaining
some of the reason that drugs on the market do not have the same
benefits and safety margin as the pre-marketing studies submitted to the
FDA show. Also the firms have promised close post-marketing
surveillance, but that seems to disappear once the drug is approved.
Also the firms are not required to compare new drugs with existing drugs
even though many turn out to be inferior. Yet with our lax rules on
direct-to-consumer advertising, a demand can be created for these new
drugs in spite of their typically outrageous prices. Now Congress is
advancing the CURES Act to further benefit the biomedical firms,
potentially at a cost to the public’s health that may offset the
benefits.
pharmaceutical firms have agreed to register all studies in advance and not just the
studies with favorable results. But research studies with adverse
results are still being filed away without public oversight, explaining
some of the reason that drugs on the market do not have the same
benefits and safety margin as the pre-marketing studies submitted to the
FDA show. Also the firms have promised close post-marketing
surveillance, but that seems to disappear once the drug is approved.
Also the firms are not required to compare new drugs with existing drugs
even though many turn out to be inferior. Yet with our lax rules on
direct-to-consumer advertising, a demand can be created for these new
drugs in spite of their typically outrageous prices. Now Congress is
advancing the CURES Act to further benefit the biomedical firms,
potentially at a cost to the public’s health that may offset the
benefits.
This problem is serious. The study by Saluia et al. shows that over 100 million
prescriptions were issued for drugs that had to be withdrawn from the market
because they proved to be unsafe. About 100,000 people die each year from
drug reactions, and this is particularly tragic when it is from a drug that never should
have been on the market in the first place.
prescriptions were issued for drugs that had to be withdrawn from the market
because they proved to be unsafe. About 100,000 people die each year from
drug reactions, and this is particularly tragic when it is from a drug that never should
have been on the market in the first place.
The stewards of a well designed single payer system would demand much
better performance from the pharmaceutical industry - drugs and other
biomedical products that are effective, that are an improvement over
existing treatments, that are reasonably safe, and that are priced
appropriately based on legitimate costs and a fair profit margin.
Regardless, the government has to step up if we want better quality and
value in our nation’s drug supply.
better performance from the pharmaceutical industry - drugs and other
biomedical products that are effective, that are an improvement over
existing treatments, that are reasonably safe, and that are priced
appropriately based on legitimate costs and a fair profit margin.
Regardless, the government has to step up if we want better quality and
value in our nation’s drug supply.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Abstract: Impact of Increased Cost Sharing on Utilization of Low Value Services (6th Biennial Conference of the American Society of Health Economists)
Abstract: Impact of Increased Cost Sharing on Utilization of Low Value Services (6th Biennial Conference of the American Society of Health Economists)
Comment by Don McCanne
It seems intuitive that value-based insurance design (VBID), such as requiring much higher
patient cost sharing for low-value care (e.g., much greater
out-of-pocket payments for “unnecessary” CT or MRI scans), should help
reduce our total health care spending without inducing a major negative
impact on health outcomes. But the authors of this study find that
“increased cost-sharing may lead to modest increases in overall
healthcare spending,” even though it may reduce utilization of some, but
not all, targeted services.
patient cost sharing for low-value care (e.g., much greater
out-of-pocket payments for “unnecessary” CT or MRI scans), should help
reduce our total health care spending without inducing a major negative
impact on health outcomes. But the authors of this study find that
“increased cost-sharing may lead to modest increases in overall
healthcare spending,” even though it may reduce utilization of some, but
not all, targeted services.
Thus it appears that VBID may not be a very effective tool for reducing overall health
care spending. Besides, philosophically it does not seem right that
patients must face a financial penalty for obtaining the care that their
health care professionals have recommended.
care spending. Besides, philosophically it does not seem right that
patients must face a financial penalty for obtaining the care that their
health care professionals have recommended.
If penalties were to be assigned for using low-value care, wouldn’t it be
more appropriate to apply them to the health care provider who would
profit by selling more health care services with very limited value? But
then how would you determine the threshold of what care is of value and
what isn't? Regardless, this report seems to provide an argument for
dispensing with penalties in health care.
more appropriate to apply them to the health care provider who would
profit by selling more health care services with very limited value? But
then how would you determine the threshold of what care is of value and
what isn't? Regardless, this report seems to provide an argument for
dispensing with penalties in health care.
Maybe since we haven’t had much luck with carrots and sticks, we should give
up on relying on intuition in implementing health care reform and
instead adopt a proven model that is highly effective in improving
affordability and access to health care for all - a single payer
national health program: Improved Medicare for All.
up on relying on intuition in implementing health care reform and
instead adopt a proven model that is highly effective in improving
affordability and access to health care for all - a single payer
national health program: Improved Medicare for All.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Legislative Action Center | National Nurses United
Legislative Action Center | National Nurses United
PETITION CALLING ON NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO INCLUDE "MEDICARE FOR ALL" IN 2016 DNC PLATFORM
Friday, June 10, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Monday, June 6, 2016
June 9th - 6pm Conference Call - Campaign to Challenge Pharma - Citizen Action of Wisconsin
6pm Conference Call - Campaign to Challenge Pharma - Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Join Citizen Action of WI for a conversation on a campaign to challenge Pharma's stranglehold on our communities!
Join Citizen Action of WI for a conversation on a campaign to challenge Pharma's stranglehold on our communities!
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
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