NEWS

With all the talk going around Washington about the Obama Administration’s Health Care Reform Bill, one might wonder how changing policies will affect small business and individuals a like. While a government proposed bill sanctioning ‘universal health care’ might seemed like a wonderful idea, there are a lot of facts that many in the United States don’t know.

For your convenience, we have compiled links and facts about the Health Care Reform bill in this section of the Hart Medical Services site for you to look over and educate yourself on what these drastic changes could mean for health care in America as well as the economy.

10 August 2009

Health Debates Turn Dangerous

With the growing concern over the proposed healthcare reform bills, many citizens across the United States have voiced their protests in local town hall meetings- some louder than others.

Some more conservative groups on the internet have been blamed for encouraging ‘mob-like’ protests across the country at these meetings. Liberal groups have begun to counter, even leading to physical violence as these debates have escalated in a few cases to brawls. Still, White House staffers remain unflinching in their support for reform.

"If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard," says deputy White House chief of staff Jim Messina.

It seems that neither side is willing to surrender anything yet. The question becomes, where will the compromises be made? There is likely no way of pleasing everyone with this issue, but whatever Congress proposes after their August recess, there will likely be long term repercussions down the line.

Read More Here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32338375/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/

10 August 2009

Turn 18 and Lose Your Coverage

That’s what happens to foster children almost everyday across the country. Health insurance for children in these programs is often provided by the state, and a majority of the time, the state tends to let these children go as soon as they reach ‘adult-hood’.

"At 18 they are out on their own and have to find a way to pay for their own insurance, so most are uninsured," says Jourdane Hamilton, an 18 year old foster child who is lucky enough to be involved in the FutureBound Independent Living Program (FILP), an organization founded in the state of Maryland to help kids like Hamilton keep basic benefits through college. "I'm in a program where a lot of services are available to me, and I think every foster kid should have access to a similar program."

But, not every child is so lucky. If they do not go to college or their state does not offer such programs, many are left without any coverage at all unless they can find a way to pay for it on their own or a job that offers benefits.

"Even college graduates are having a hard time finding employment since everyone is competing to find a job in these tough times," Hamilton says. "People are fighting to be bag boys at supermarkets."

Read More Here

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/04/hcif.foster.children/index.html

16 July 2009

Health Care Reform is Almost Here

The Senate house committee passed a $600-billion measure 13-10 today to push a bill through that would make it mandatory for all individuals and/or employers to provide some form of healthcare coverage for themselves and their employees. The measure was passed along party lines, with Democrats explaining that we cannot wait to resolve the issue of health care in the United States anymore.

"We cannot allow this issue to be delayed. We cannot put it off again," explained Rep. Henry Waxman, a Democrat from California, the chairman. "We, quite frankly, cannot go home for a recess unless the House and the Senate both pass bills to reform and restructure our health care system."

While many in the House and Senate are eager to push such a bill through, others are concerned of the damage that this measure might have to the current system of health care in the US, and the small to medium size businesses that this could affect. There is talk that this would be a ‘job killer’ to the insurance industry, and that the weight it puts on business owners who are already facing difficult times in the current economy, would be forced to shut their doors should this measure be pushed all the way through.

Nevertheless, the President and many of his supporters are determined to see this bill pass before the end of this year.

"There's going to be a major debate over the next three weeks," President Obama said. "And don't be fooled by folks trying to scare you saying we can't change the health care system. We have no choice but to change the health care system because right now it's broken for too many Americans."

Read More Here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31921017/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

16 July 2009

Abortion Issue In the Way of Universal Healthcare

While the House and Senate remain determined to push the health care reform bill through, one major issue now stands in the way and threatens to derail the efforts put forth by Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; abortion. Under the currently proposed bills, federal taxes going to fund the health care reform bill will also go into funding abortions services for anyone who might require them.

"You are taking federal tax dollars and using them to provide abortion services," Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma explained. "The rest of the people in this country should not be paying for [those] services through their tax dollars."

However, other political officials disagree, such as Democrat Mark Mellman, who explained that restricting abortions on the federally mandated plan might not go over well with the public.

"Right now, most health care plans cover abortion, cover contraception, cover women's reproductive health," Mellman explains. "To some extent, what they're talking about on Capitol Hill is taking away coverage that people already have. Americans want health care reform. But they will oppose health care reform if it takes away the coverage they now have for things like abortion and contraception."

Read More Here

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106581890

09 July 2009

Everyone Will Have Healthcare Coverage- That means YOU

One of the key features in making universal healthcare work in the United States is making it a federal mandate that all individuals contribute to the healthcare pool. That’s right, every tax paying citizen that earns above the poverty level will have no other choice now on whether or not they want to pay for healthcare. Either they will pay for private coverage themselves, or the government will tax them for it and they will be automatically enrolled in the federal healthcare plan.

In other words, if you make less than $16,000 a year and do not have health insurance, you will. Like it or not. The idea stems from Senator Kennedy’s initial healthcare reform bill which explained that in order to afford universal healthcare for all US citizens, both the healthy and unhealthy must contribute. Those who can’t afford government healthcare will be reimbursed, but depending on how many people participate in the government’s program, it is likely that Americans will face a large universal tax increase to cover this plan.

Health care economist Linda Blumberg explains. "One of the goals of health reform is to create broader-based risk pools. The more healthy people that we can bring in, the lower will be the average cost in that risk pool. If we just open the pool and don’t require everybody to come in, then we’re making it a high-risk pool. The only people who are going to end up in that pool are going to be the sick. To make those pools sustainable over time we need a mix of risks — we need both the sick and the healthy in."

Many in the House and Senate are questioning whether or not this is a good move given the current state of our economy. On the surface, this seems like an easy solution to paying for such a large net of coverage in the wake of government’s attempts to lower the deficit, the truth is that this reform will cost tax payers another $700 billion in the next ten years in new costs.

Read more about this update to the healthcare reform plan here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31782553/ns/politics-capitol_hill//

2 July 2009

Questions Arise About Obama’s Appointed Healthcare Czar

Nancy-Anne Parle was appointed by Present Obama as the health policy Czar earlier this year, but questions are beginning to rise about some of her past positions in the health industry, including her involvement with organizations such as DaVita Inc. and Boston Scientific Corp.

After serving on President Clinton’s administration as the head of the Medicare, Parle built a rather lucrative career in the private healthcare sector over the past decade. She has served on the board of several health and medical organizations on the east coast, many of which have faced scrutiny and scandal in recent years. While there is no evidence that Parle was involved with these scandals directly, her position on the board and as CEO for some of these organizations has raised a few eyebrows in Washington and among the American press.

Among the accusations include several lawsuits regarding the deaths of 12 patients at Guidant (Parle joined their board in 2001), and five separate subpoenas against Boston Scientific Corp looking into accusations about the companies marketing interactions (Parle had earned more than $1.4 million in compensation and stocks from Boston during her time there).

So far, the White House as declined to comment about these accusations and Parle has declined taking interviews since the story broke. Read more here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31566399/ns/health-health_care/

2 July 2009

A 50 Year Low for Private Health Insurance in the US

With the economic crisis and the talk of a Federally funded health program, perhaps it comes as no surprise to many that the number of adults with private health insurance has dropped to a fifty-year low. A survey conducted by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that just over 60% of non-elderly adults in America have private health insurance. While this study is still in debate, the fact remains that most health organizations in America agree that more and more people are either relying on government sponsored health-plans, such as Medicaid or Medicare, or just going without.

However, that number is expected to rise as the government continues to debate what to do about the new health plan and the economic crisis. With Medicare and many smaller government-funded health programs already on the chopping-block to help balance the countries deficit, questions arise about how the federal government plans to pay for their healthcare program and how much it will cost the tax payer. Read more here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31693228/ns/health-health_care/

30 June 2009

Study Suggests That Low Cost, Quality Healthcare Already Exists In the US

For decades now, the US government and professionals in the healthcare industry have struggled with the dilemma of how to cut costs without cutting back on patient care. Now, it seems, professionals at the Dartmouth Atlas believe that they have discovered proof that this can be done.

"You can deliver high-quality care for far fewer resources if you organize your processes right," states Len Nichols of the †New America Foundation.

The trick, some professionals believe, is to find that fine line between quality care and costs. According to the study, the trouble with most ‘big spending’ healthcare regions is the fact that too many doctors have a hand in a single patients care. In regions with smaller spending, fewer doctors take care of a single patient, and follow ups are more likely.

"It’s really hard for physicians to maintain effective communication when there are so many more of them involved in a patient's care", says Elliot Fisher of the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. "The high-performing systems of this country are much more able to help manage patients as outpatients without having to be hospitalized, without having to be referred to the emergency room."

The study suggests that this alarming difference in patient care and overall community health is due to fewer doctors looking over each patient. With fewer points of contact, the patient tends to have a better result in following up with the correct people and sticking to the recommended treatments.

For more information about the Dartmouth Atlas’ results and the arguments for and against their recent findings, read more here.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106028653

†The New America Foundation is a non-profit public policy institute and think tank located in Washington, D.C. that promotes innovative political solutions transcending conventional party lines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_America_Foundation

24 June 2009

Treatment First, Diagnosis Last

How many Americans still have a "family physician"? Fewer everyday, it seems, due to an ever widening gap in the health industry. More and more medical students are leaving med school to pursue specialty fields rather than follow a more traditional path. With fewer incentives to go into primary and preventative care, including less pay and longer work hours, it is no wonder young doctors choose the labs and operating rooms over frontline treatment. But, the problem goes beyond mere nostalgia. There is a practical and very real danger in the current system that is only now becoming apparent- a lack of preventative treatment and referrals. Many specialists require a general practitioner’s reference before they can see patients. And with fewer primary care doctors in the US, the line to see your own physician grows longer as your time with one on one care gets shorter. This means less preventative care, less personal care, and more money out of pocket for all.

The day of the family physician may be coming to an end if something doesn’t change soon. With fewer and fewer young doctors going into primary care, older doctors are who had hoped to retire are working longer to try to make up for the gap. One such would-be-retiree is Dr. Kenneth Spady who at 83 has been practicing medicine for 53 years. As the only general doctor in a small town in Washington, Dr Spady is reluctant to close his doors and leave his patients without anyone to go to for their medical needs. The sad fact is, Dr Spady will not be around forever. Nor will the thousands of elderly doctors across the country who are keeping their practices open themselves to care for communities that have come to mean so much to them. But, what will happen when these doctors slowly disappear with no one to take their places? Simply put, their patients will have to travel further and further out for care, or just go with none at all.

This is not a new problem. The medical community and the United States Department of Health have been struggling to create incentives for younger doctors to pursue primary care practices for years, but with little success. Between rising costs of living, student loan fees, and costs of living, incentives have done little to keep up with demand.

However, there are still some young doctors that are doing their best to contribute to the frontlines of medicine. Many make the sacrifice in hours and pay cut to pursue the more traditional practice of family care- those like Dr. Karen Hart of Sacramento. Still, there is little glory in the health industry to be found within primary care.

"The classic phrase is ‘You’re too smart to go into family medicine," says Amy McIntyre, a recent graduate from Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She had to defend her choice to practice family medicine. "Our culture worships high-tech, high-cost care. It’s not as exciting to say ‘I treated high blood pressure today."

Read more about the future of primary care and the older doctors who still support this under appreciated part of the medical community here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31507763/ns/health-health_care/

22 June 2009

More and More Americans Postponing Treatments

A whopping 40% of Americans plan to post-pone healthcare treatment in the next few months due to their economic situation according to researches at the Center for Health Care Improvement.  The results of this study might not come as much of a surprise for most people living in the United States today.  Despite having one of the largest economies in the world, the US places 37th on the World Health Organization’s rankings for top healthcare worldwide.  The annual cost  of healthcare per person in America averages  over $6,000 a year- compared with the UK which spends $2,500 or Canada which spends $3,600 (both countries also outrank the United States).

The largest group hit by these rising costs in healthcare is the ever-growing baby-boomer generation.  Faced with a growing population and cuts to the Medicare system on the way, more and more ‘new’ seniors are holding off on doctor’s visits and medications with the hopes of a better economy around the corner.

Read more about Americans postponing medical treatment here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31487110/ns/health-health_care/

22 June 2009

The Debate Rages On

There has been a lot of talk lately about the proposed government health care reform that has been the number one topic on Capital Hill over the last few weeks.  Democrats and Republicans have been battling out for their respective sides, but what does this reform really mean?   

CNN took the opportunity to create their own FAQ for anyone who is unfamiliar with what President Obama’s proposal might mean to the future of healthcare.  Read the full article here at CNN.com

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/18/ep.health.reform.basics/index.html

18 June 2009

How Much Is A Life Worth?

Apparently, that answer can be calculated by your health insurance company.  At least, that seems to be the case for a growing number of Americans who thought that they were paying so much every month to be fully covered by their current medical plans.  Take the case of Robin Beaton, a 59 year old woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.  Her insurance company had agreed to pay for her surgery, then rescinded her coverage three days before the operation, citing a ‘precancerous’ diagnosis by her dermatologist. 

Robin had been treated for acne some years back, and something in the doctor’s notes was wrongly worded. This was later used to rescind her coverage despite the doctor’s testimonial that 'precancerous' was NOT what the notes had meant. 

Nevertheless, Robin’s story is not uncommon.  More and more people are finding themselves denied coverage or dismissed from their current plans due to anything from their forgetting to mention a medication on an application form, or even not informing the company of a family history for an ailment they were not aware of.

The truth is, even those who think they are covered by their insurance policies, really are not.  These agencies can, and will, go to whatever means necessary to deny some people coverage- even if the costumer in question has been loyal for years.

Read more about Robin Beaton here

16 June 2009

Who Needs a Doctor Anyway?

With all the talk about insurance companies and healthcare, it’s good to know that the people of America are getting what they’re paying for. Like this story that was in the news today of an eighteen year old high school student who, after dozens of visits to several doctors, ended up finally giving up and diagnosing herself in science class.

More and more Americans are finding themselves dissatisfied with their health providers as their doctors who spend less and less time with them. So, patients are starting to look to alternative sources to find out what is wrong- such as sites like www.webmd.com, or by just asking other internet users on sites like www.answers.yahoo.com. The problem with this is that, sometimes, self diagnosis is wrong, or worse, one discovers their ailment and is powerless to do anything about it until they can convince a professional doctor to ‘officially’ diagnose them.

Always make sure your doctor knows what your concerns are and don’t settle if you still have doubts or symptoms are not fully addressed. Remember it is your physician’s duty to properly diagnose and treat you.  If you are left with any concerns after your appointment, or questions left unanswered, it is your right to seek out other professional opinions.

10 June 2009

Congressman Charles Rangel Expresses Senate’s Need to Push Health Reform Bill Through

In a news report released by National Public Radio on June 10th, both representatives from the Senate and the House stated their determination to push the President Obama’s proposed Health Care Reform Bill through at any cost.

"We gotta have a public plan, and we’re not gonna wait two-three-even five years to see what happens and then trigger it. We gotta have a plan", Congressman Charles Rangel is reported stating.

It seems that the only real debate left is how the finalized version of this proposed bill look. While some details are still remain allusive (such as exactly how this bill will be paid for), other major specifications have remained consistent.

‘Like the emerging health bill, Kennedy’s bill would require most everyone to have health insurance, and most larger business to help pay the costs.’ –National Public Radio News 6/10/2009  Listen to the full story on NPR.org

If you still have questions or concerns about how drastic these changes will be, please take a look at a independent non-partisan evaluation of the bill as it currently stands here:

http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411754_obama_health_proposal.pdf

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