Archive for November, 2009

Myth 26. Government-directed rationing will be rational.

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

It all sounds very reasonable: to set priorities, to use the most effective therapies, to serve the neediest first. Rationing is a given, say reform advocates. Insurance companies already do it. Let’s just make it rational and fair.

Some say that Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) isn’t really about rationing. “Nothing in the legislation…provided for payment restriction based on CER findings,” writes Jerry Avorn (N Engl J Med 2009;360:1927-1929). It’s “Orwellian” to suggest such a thing. Anyway, “unaffordability rations care far more than comparative studies ever could.” (more…)

Senate Dems already panning their own bill

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

 SENATE VOTES TO BEGIN FORMAL
 DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE BILL
Healthcare Tea Party on the Las Vegas Strip today

Healthcare Tea Party on the Las Vegas Strip today

 

 The Senate has voted to begin debate on the Senate healthcare bill, by a party line vote.

As we wrote earlier today, even though we have been considering every vote to be “first and goal” there are still a number of plays left in the game, and will need your efforts now more than ever to win it.

Reid May Have 60 Votes … HANG IN THERE WE MAY HAVE WEEKS TO GO!!!!!

Friday, November 20th, 2009
Candlelight vigil at Sen. Blanche Lincolns Little Rock office Friday night.

Candlelight vigil at Sen. Blanche Lincoln's Little Rock office Friday night.

(UPDATE – SENATOR LINCOLN JUST ANNOUNCED SHE WILL VOTE WITH SEN. REID AS OF 1PM MST)
(more…)

Senate Bill Weighs in at 2,074 Pages – Tell Senate to VOTE NO on Cloture

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Senator Reid released the Senate’s version of the healthcare reform bill on Wednesday.  It is even bigger than the House version, at 2,074 pages.  The CBO estimates that it will cost $849 million over 10 years. 

(more…)

CBO to release scoring of Senate healthcare bill

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Vote may occur this week!
Tell the Senate to
“VOTE NO on motion to proceed.”


Despite the delay in the CBO release of the scoring of the Senate healthcare bill, it looks like its analysis will be unveiled this evening at 5pm EST (see Reuters article).  This means a vote on the motion to proceed may occur on Friday or Saturday.  Your calls to the Senate today are urgently needed!  If you can’t make your calls by 3pm EST, make them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
(more…)

Action: “Doc Fix” not what the doctor ordered

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Tell Congress “Vote NO on HR 3961″
Doc Fix Bill NOT What the Doctor Ordered

Payoff to AMA for HR 3962 Endorsement?

Survey shows MONEY is not primary concern of doctors, but government interference is.  (more…)

Contact Senate on Wednesday & Senate Status Update

Monday, November 16th, 2009

ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, BETWEEN NOON & 3PM EST, JOIN CITIZENS FROM ACROSS THE USA AND TELL THE SENATE TO VOTE NO

Please take these 2 steps: (more…)

Who Does the AMA Really Represent?

Monday, November 16th, 2009

People are fond of believing that the American Medical Association (AMA) represents physicians. But if representation follows revenues, the AMA’s most important customer is probably the federal government.

In1983, an agreement between the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and the AMA made the AMA’s copyrighted Current Procedural Terminology codes (CPT) the sole coding system that could be used for billing Medicare.

Read entire story here: http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/who-does-the-ama-really-represent/#more-6121

Myth 25. Medical care costs too much because private corporations make a profit.

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

In his address to Congress on health care reform, Barack Obama cited Alabama as a state in which almost 90% of health insurance is controlled by one company. “[A]n additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchanges.”

The “People Before Profits” slogan also reflects the belief that it is not only inefficient and costly but morally wrong to make a profit from providing health insurance or medical care. (Also see Myth 22.)

A reality check on health insurers and profit: (more…)

Listen to Take Back Medicine Veterans’ Day Webcast

Thursday, November 12th, 2009
AMA doctors rebel! Hundreds of doctors are fighting within the AMA after it endorsed Pelosi-Care last week. Where do doctors REALLY stand on reform efforts, and the latest from Washington DC. Also, we honor our veterans! We will be joined by Physicians who served in the military and will hear their perspective on the problems with government run medicine & the VA. Be ready to call in with your questions.
 
Listen to Archived Broadcast Anytime!