[Marxism] NYT: Doctors and the Cost of Care

[sabocat59@xxxxxxx]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/article;jsessionid=F7D037A160A1BC61E803269602E70E45.w6?a=376651&f=28&sub=Editorial

The pull quote speaks for itself, but the suggested solution amounts to nothing 
but more BS. The grey lady likes to blow grey smoke up everyone's ass. As if 
corrupt doctors can be "cajoled" into reforming themselves. Small wonder 
medical care in this country, especially for the poor, is either non-existent 
or worse than the disease.  

It will be an object lesson to observe how AMA and Pharma $$ influence the 
outcome of Obama's so-called  alternative health care plan. 



Greg McDonald

  
"A glaring example of profligate physician behavior was described by Atul 
Gawande in the June 1 issue of The New Yorker. (His article has become must 
reading at the White House.) Dr. Gawande, a Harvard-affiliated surgeon and 
author, traveled to McAllen, Texas, to find out why Medicare spends more per 
beneficiary there than in any other city except Miami. None of the usual 
rationalizations put forth by doctors held up. The population, though poor, is 
not sicker than average; the quality of care people get is not superior. 
Malpractice suits have practically disappeared due to a tough state malpractice 
law, leaving no rationale for defensive medicine. The reason for McAllen's 
soaring costs, some doctors finally admitted, is over-treatment. Doctors 
perform extra tests, surgeries and other procedures to increase their incomes. 
Dr. Gawande's reporting tracks pioneering studies by researchers at Dartmouth 
into the reasons for large regional and institutional variations in Medicare 
costs. Why should medical care in Miami or McAllen be far more expensive than 
in San Francisco? Why should care provided at the U.C.L.A. medical center be 
far more costly than care at the renowned Mayo Clinic? After adjusting for 
differences in health, income, medical price and other factors, the Dartmouth 
researchers' overall conclusion is that the more costly areas and institutions 
provide a lot more tests, services and intensive hospital-based care than the 
lower cost centers. Yet their patients fare no better and often fare worse 
because they suffer from the over-treatment. The Dartmouth group estimates that 
up to 30 percent of Medicare spending is wasted on needless care."
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: 
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40archives.econ.utah.edu