GOP doctor-lawmakers skeptical of health plan
Reps. Mike Ritze and Doug Cox, the only medical doctors serving in the Legislature, say they are leery of health care reform plans being developed by President Barack Obama’s administration.
That’s somewhat to be expected. Both Ritze and Cox are Republicans; Obama is a Democrat.
Cox, an emergency room physician in Grove, concedes the present medical care system must be improved.
“Going to a doctor with a simple sore throat and leaving with a bill over $100 is not acceptable – it is putting access to medical care out of reach for many Oklahomans,” Cox said in a statement issued with Ritze, of Broken Arrow.
“However, this is a very complicated issue. These problems did not develop overnight yet it seems, as with many issues facing his administration, the President is trying to force a ‘reform’ through Congress in a very rapid manner without sufficient detail regarding long-term effects,” Cox said. “Health care reform must be addressed, but in a systematic, methodical manner with greater involvement by those who are skilled in delivering care.”
Ritze said the reforms being advocated by Obama and Democratic congressional leaders are unlikely to improve care or reduce prices.
“The ‘new’ blueprint for health care will fail for the same reason the current system is failing: It violates the basic laws of economics,” Ritze said. “When the apparent price of something goes down, demand goes up.”
Proposals that would have residents paying essentially the same amount for coverage, regardless of actual risk and medical need. As a result, Ritze said, demand for medical care will skyrocket and the system will be clogged with nonurgent-care patients, displacing those with serious medical conditions and increasing waiting times.
“Collective prepayment drives up demand because healthier citizens feel the need to ‘get their money’s worth’ out of the system,” Ritze said. “Ultimately, that will compound the doctor shortage in states like Oklahoma.”
He said the number of U.S. medical graduates entering family medicine and internal medicine has fallen by half over the past decade. The situation will not improve under a system that prevents pricing that covers actual cost and allows minor profit, Ritze said.
Other nations that have experimented with universal health care are losing good doctors, he said.
Cox suggests getting back to the “primary care concept” where every American has a personal family physician/
“This has been shown in study after study to reduce cost,” Cox said. “The present system requires too many clerks working in health care that are not involved in patient care. The administrative paper/computer work required is a major cost driver in the system.”
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
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If you are uninsured and does not have insurance, you should check out the website http://UninsuredAmerica.blogspot.com – John Mayer, California
AMERICA’S NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY!
It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.
STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.
And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public health. And a detriment to national security, public safety, and the public health.
Progressive democrats and others should stand firm in their demand for a robust public option for all Americans, with all of the minimum requirements progressive democrats demanded. If congress can not pass a robust public option with at least 51 votes and all robust minimum requirements, congress should immediately move to scrap healthcare reform and demand that President Obama declare a state of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY! Seizing and replacing all PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance plans with the immediate implementation of National Healthcare for all Americans under the provisions of HR676 (A Single-payer National Healthcare Plan For All).
Coverage can begin immediately through our current medicare system. With immediate expansion through recruitment of displaced workers from the canceled private sector insurance industry. Funding can also begin immediately by substitution of payroll deductions for private insurance plans with payroll deductions for the national healthcare plan. This is what the vast majority of the American people want. And this is what all objective experts unanimously agree would be the best, and most cost effective for the American people and our economy.
In Mexico on average people who received medical care for A-H1N1 (Swine Flu) with in 3 days survived. People who did not receive medical care until 7 days or more died. This has been the same results in the US. But 50 million Americans don’t even have any healthcare coverage. And at least 200 million of you with insurance could not get in to see your private insurance plans doctors in 2 or 3 days, even if your life depended on it. WHICH IT DOES!
Contact congress and your representatives NOW! AND SPREAD THE WORD!
God Bless You
Jacksmith – WORKING CLASS