Volume 75, no. 11 November 2019 The federal government has been declaring war on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare since shortly after it was enacted in 1965. In the 1970s, there was the Professional Standards Review Organization (PSRO). AAPS v. Weinberger, the first lawsuit filed by AAPS, which challenged the PSRO, was dismissed in […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD What if purchasing medical products and services were like buying peanut butter? Grocery stores have several brands and varieties: smooth, chunky, old-fashioned, natural, organic, no added sugar, reduced fat, no-stir, and pre-mixed with jelly with clearly marked prices ranging from $1.75 for the store’s generic brand to $7 for […]
In a letter to President Trump, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) thanks him for increasing the options available to Medicare beneficiaries, allowing them to access private treatment and insurance without losing their Social Security benefits. AAPS also agrees with the need for transparency, but emphasizes that patients need access to honest prices, […]
According to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the U.S. wastes between $760 billion and $935 billion on “healthcare”—up to 25 percent of $3.8 trillion. It estimates that interventions could save as much as $282 billion. The biggest source of waste is “administrative complexity,” accounting for $265.6 billion, but the […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD The high cost of medical care is on the lips of every politician and draining the pocketbooks of most Americans. After creating the Medicare/Medicaid monster, the government’s expanded intervention into the medical care marketplace with the inaptly named Affordable Care Act doubled the premiums and deductibles for both employer-sponsored […]
Volume 75, no. 10 October 2019 In proposing “Medicare for All,” Bernie Sanders and his followers suggest that all Americans will be brought into a popular, successful, functioning program that provides well for seniors. In fact, the bill that Sanders claims to have written abolishes the current Medicare program, forces everyone into a very different […]
After returning from their month long summer recess for a few weeks of work on the Hill, Congress has left DC again for a 2-week “district work period” and won’t be back until mid-October. None-the-less, and notwithstanding other diversions focused on the White House, health policy bills continue to advance, at varying speeds, through the […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD You finally get your dream and are selected to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. You get to see Pat Sajak and Vanna White! You win a vacation to some country that you don’t really want to see. You cannot get the cash equivalent. You have to take […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD Buying and selling is in the news lately with President “at some point you’ve made enough money,” “climate change is urgent and growing” Obama’s well-publicized imminent purchase of a 7,000 square foot, $14.85 million estate in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, the playground of the rich and famous, guaranteed to survive […]
Volume 75, no. 9 Dr. Robot is visiting patients in some places but could be displaced by Dr. Alexa, the virtual assistant in Amazon smart speakers, who is already able to perform certain health-related tasks. “She” can track blood glucose levels, describe symptoms, access post-surgical care instructions, monitor home prescription deliveries, and make appointments at […]