Tag Archives: Medicare access

How Medicare vouchers could bypass health care rationing

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Brian Schwartz

The debate over which medical treatments Medicare would cover would vanish if instead of running a monopolistic health plan for seniors, government subsidized seniors’ purchase of the insurance plan of their choice. Continue reading →

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Government health plans does not mean getting care, CU hospitals show

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Brian Schwartz

This Denver Post article illustrates a key point about government-run health plans: having coverage does not mean you get medical care: Two clinics at University of Colorado Hospital — considered the state’s safety net for the needy — are turning … Continue reading →

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Denver Post: “Doctors show Medicare patients the door”

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Brian Schwartz

A Denver Post article from a couple weeks ago shows that having Medicare doesn’t mean you necessarily get the care you need: Beverly Brodnax just got dumped by her doctor. The disabled woman is among the many Coloradans on Medicare … Continue reading →

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“Health care” bill threatens your health care

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Brian Schwartz

Paul Hsieh, MD describes how “bundled payments” give doctors perverse incentives misaligned with your best interest: One planned cost-cutting measure will be a new system of “bundled payments” where hospitals and physicians receive a fixed fee to take care of … Continue reading →

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CNN: Doctors opt out of Medicare

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Brian Schwartz

Should we expect more of this if politicians expand government-run health programs? From CNN: When you think of low-paying jobs, doctor doesn’t usually come to mind.But with a 21% cut in Medicare payments slated to take effect later this month, … Continue reading →

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Medicare’s “global budget” & bureaucratic medical decisions

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Brian Schwartz

From the Wall Street Journal: Democrats are quietly attempting to impose a “global budget” on Medicare, with radical implications for U.S. medicine. … If Democrats impose such a commission nationwide, it would constitute a radical change in U.S. health care. … Continue reading →

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Physicians who do not see Medicare and Medicaid patients

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Brian Schwartz

Medical internist and Professor of Medicine Mark Siegel in the Wall Street Journal: Here’s something that has gotten lost in the drive to institute universal health insurance: Health insurance doesn’t automatically lead to health care. And with more and more … Continue reading →

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Three health care proposals to oppose

Posted on January 5, 2009 by Brian Schwartz

Michael Cannon writes in the Washington Times that do avoid disastrous health care reform, we must oppose: Government-run health care for the middle class (which Obama has proposed) mandatory insurance insurance price controls (e.g., community rating) On point 1, Cannon … Continue reading →

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More doctors drop Medicare patients

Posted on July 15, 2008 by Brian Schwartz

I like Ted Kennedy’s slogan “Medicare for all.” It reminds voters that America already has a highly successful, popular single-payer program, albeit only for the elderly. — Paul Krugman, June 13 2005 How “highly successful” is Medicare?  Consider the following … Continue reading →

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