Here's William Kristol revealing the horrors hidden within the health care bill as it emerged from the HELP committee...
For Kennedy and his co-author, Bob Shrum, have let the rationing cat out of the bag ...the deepest vulnerability of Obamacare is that it (intentionally) puts us on a course towards government rationing of health care.
... the most important implication of the Kennedy-Shrum claim--"Most of these readmissions are unnecessary, but we don't reward hospitals and doctors for preventing them. By changing that, we'll save billions of dollars."--is this: The government is going to decide--ahead of time, obviously, since deciding after the fact wouldn't save any money; and based on certain general criteria, since the government isn't going to review each individual case--what kinds of hospital readmissions for the elderly are "unnecessary" and what kinds aren't.
The government is going to look at procedures and try to decide which are unnecessary. Terrible, right? Thanks goodness we have the private health insurance industry to protect us from that kind of meddling! Here's Samuel Nussbaum, chief medical officer of Wellpoint, to explain why they are much better than the government.
NPR: Dr. Nussbaum influences coverage received by Wellpoint's 35 million customers, the country's largest health-benefits firm. He argues that the private sector is more efficient than the government.
Wellpoint: Let me give one example, Steve, that I think will be informative. When we look at advanced imaging -- this is MRI, CAT Scans, PET scans -- we know that as much as 30% of those procedures are not necessary. And we've been able over the last several years to have growth in imaging procedures of between zero and five percent. The government, under CMS, has seen imaging grow 15-20%.during the same time interval.
NPR: You're talking about the Medicare program.
Wellpoint: Yes, the Medicare program. We're talking about the use of imaging services and the cost for imaging services. So, I would argue is that where the private sector has been far more effective than government is in limiting clinical services to those that are less meeting the needs of patients.
Kristol fumes that the government could "ration" healthcare, but doesn't mention that private insurers are already rationing. In fact, private insurers argue that the government isn't tough enough and that they've more effective because they ration more strictly than the government.
Where are the screams about that, Billy boy?
The idea of limiting patient care isn't exactly a new one at Wellpoint. In 2007, they bragged about how their employees -- not just doctors determine patient care.
The nation's largest health insurer, WellPoint (WLP), said Tuesday that doctors and hospitals aren't the only ones responsible for making sure patients get the right care: Insurers are, too.
Starting this year, all 42,000 employees — from clerks to top management — will have 5% of the annual bonuses they already receive tied to whether the company meets specific screening and treatment goals for its 34 million policyholders.
Clerks getting between a patient and a doctor? Isn't that exactly the kind of thing that Republicans are so concerned might happen with a public option?
By the way, Wellpoint's CEO took home $23 million in 2006. So those annual bonuses are more than just pocket change. Still, thank goodness our care is being determined by "clerks to top management" who have massive incentives to reduce care, rather than government workers trying to do a job.
The truth is, there probably are too many tests being done, and we really do need to be reduced. But in the weird world of William Kristol, cutting these tests is wrong -- unless someone is making a wad of cash.