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Monday, July 13. 2009

How to reform American medicine to save money: Pay the docs not to treat patients

A lightbulb just went off in my head.


Instead of paying doctors to treat patients, have the government pay doctors not to treat patients. For every patient who needs tests or treatments, pay the doc half of what those would have cost if he promises not to have them done.


It's so simple, really. All you have to do is to modernize that old-fashioned, no longer applicable Hippocratic Oath to bring it up to date (just like the Constitution). All waste and unnecessary costs will be eliminated, with the potential to cut medical costs almost in half.


But would the trial lawyers go for my plan?

Posted by The Barrister in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects, Our Essays at 19:41 | Comments (10) | Trackback (1)

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I support the idea broadcast on the radio by Neal Boortz: let the doctors and other medical-related entities deduct dollar for dollar from their taxes for goods and services provided free of charge to the indigent.
#1 twolaneflash on 2009-07-13 20:05 (Reply)
Hmm. Just like paying farmers not to grow wheat, or tobacco, or . . .
#2 Dave on 2009-07-13 21:04 (Reply)
Look into Seattle's Dr. Garrison Bliss. His innovative (uh oh, a progressive word, but whatcha gonna do?) program, called 'Qliance' (without the apostrophes) is veeeery interesting --and smart.
#3 buddy larsen on 2009-07-13 21:11 (Reply)
It has been getting attention here. I've been interested in this and want to get some opinions of others who have tried it, then maybe give it a go.
#3.1 Skookumchuk on 2009-07-13 21:36 (Reply)
Thought I recently heard that the AMA proposed something like this (treating the uninsured/indigent for free) if they could take a tax offset--the nominal fee for service would be a loss for tax purposes. Naturally, the IRS objected.
#4 Hrothgar on 2009-07-13 22:42 (Reply)
How about just shooting lawyers and democrats on sight?
#5 Hohenheim on 2009-07-14 00:28 (Reply)
Heh, excellent idea.
#5.1 Luther on 2009-07-14 00:36 (Reply)
How bout just shootin both repubs and democrats and gettin sumpin that REALLY works for this great country?
Any ideas?>>>>
#6 RL on 2009-07-14 00:51 (Reply)
How many of congressmen and senators are lawyers?
I ain't knockin all lawyers,some are just some best people I have ever met,some are some of worst,plain and simple.
I think we should have a congress made of common laborers ,teachers,professers,carpenters,steel workers, investors,farmers, bankers, ceo's of major companies scientiest of many types,military, doctors,lawyers, private business owners,ect,ect.Break it down into groups that cover the workers of the differient walks of life, and a lot congress seats accordingly.Of course this change could not happen with our currant system as both donkey and elephant would unite in the strongest undercurrant.
Me thinks the old two party system is ineffective and outdated.
We are a much older country.

Health care=red wine>>>>> Have yourself a good one!
#7 RL on 2009-07-14 01:41 (Reply)
If we get to the NHS/government-delivery model, we probably will be paying doctors not to treat. When doctors are pretty much on salary, they will see their patients during scheduled hours and their appointments will be mostly filled. Waiting lists will postpone many visits and procedures, some to the point of being either unnecessary or too late to do any good.
When HMOs started something like this, the progressives screamed that the HMOs had put profit before health. Will they now scream that the government is putting cost-cutting before health?
#8 Geoff on 2009-07-14 09:47 (Reply)

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