By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who holds a medical degree, and Donald Palmisano of the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights warned that providing the American people with a federally funded health care option can ultimately prove risky.

“Solutions used by the government over the decades of Medicare and Medicaid increased the uninsured, escalate medical care costs, and drive the public government programs into insolvency,” said Palmisano during a discussion at the American Enterprise Institute Friday. “You can’t force a bad treatment using intimidation and ad hominem attacks against the only persons qualified to give medical care.”

Price said there are “three death nails for quality medicine: government option/public option, any mandate, and seceding the definition of quality to Washington.”

Price added that “affordability, access, quality, responsiveness, innovation, and choice,” are the six main principles of health care. According to Price, a government take-over will hurt these principles since the government will focus on costs and access to insurance but neglect the other significant concerns.

Price stated that the available data clearly shows this, but accused the Democrats and President Barack Obama of “refusing to face facts.”

By Aaron Richardson-Talk Radio News Service

Michael Tanner, CATO’s Head of Health Care and Social Security Research is unhappy with the most recent draft of the bill that will eventually pave the way for health care reform in the U.S.

During a discussion today on Capitol Hill, Tanner voiced his opposition to many of the bills provisions such as: tax on employer provided insurance, a payroll tax hike, a income tax surcharge on people who make 250,000 dollars or more and the proposed soda and beer tax.

According to Tanner, those with less income will be specifically harmed by the beer and soda tax since those in that demographic tend to purchase these products with more frequency.

CATO’s Director for Health Policy Michael Cannon, who appeared alongside Tanner, suggested letting employees choose their insurance providers instead of employers. Cannon noted that this would result in higher salaries for workers.

“The $620 billion in employer premium contributions does not come out of the employers’ pockets, it is actually from workers’ wages,” said Cannon.

“If the employers weren’t providing health benefits to those workers the employers would have to return that $4,000 or $9,000 dollars back to those workers and add it to their salaries” added Cannon.

By Laura Woodhead - Talk Radio News Service
Supporters of President Obama’s health care plan rallied on Capitol Hill Thursday, to press for immediate action on health care reform. Organized by the Health Care for America Now! Coalition (HCAN), the “We Can’t Wait ’09″ rally brought together 10,000 health care activists from across the country to pressure Congress into taking significant action on health reform by the end of the year.

Joining those in attendance were actress Edie Falco, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.

Said Dean, “The American public deserve the choice of whether to continue with what they have or if they want to try something different.”

Added Senator Schumer, “You being here will make sure that we hold everyone in that building’s [the Capitol’s] feet to the fire,” bringing the enthused crowd to cheers.

Gary Zuckett, Executive Director of the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, asserted that the issue of health care was literally a matter of life and death for many Americans, calling the current system a “national disgrace.” He added that Republicans need to decide whether to “get out of the way or be run over” by the sheer force of the public’s call for health care reform.

In response to a question on the American Medical Association’s (AMA) critique of President Obama’s health care plan, former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean said that the AMA was misrepresented by The New York Times and did not take a position against the public option . He asserted that there was a willingness to work with people with questions but that it is imperative that the American people are able to choose whether they want to remain with the current health care system or try something new. (0:26)

 

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Karen Pollitz, Research Professor at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, said today that what makes most Americans nervous about health care reform has nothing to do with the actually policy itself, but with the change that will come as a result of a new policy. (0:38)

 

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Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) stated that union representatives he spoke with Wednesday, expressed to him that they do want a public health policy, but they also would like to keep their own health care plans if they so wish. (0:25)

 

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Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), a member of the Media Fairness Caucus, says ABC News is biased in favor of the Obama administration . (:23)

 

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By Annie Berman-Talk Radio News Service

During a hearing with the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday, House Republicans expressed major qualms over how the formation of the upcoming health reform legislation has progressed.

“I’m very concerned and I think what many of us are struggling with today is that we don’t have the facts on this bill,” said Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) “We have been told that this will likely be our only hearing and we are talking about entirely changing the framework of healthcare in America with no debate of any substance.”

Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), the Committee’s ranking member, stated that in order for Congress to act responsibly, the members would need to know more vital facts concerning the bill.

“We need to know the price tag of this bill if we are going to do our jobs: write a bill our country can afford that will guarantee every American has access to affordable, quality health care.”

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) blasted the new health care plan for resembling the current Medicaid program, stating that he believes that most people on Medicaid are unhappy with the program.

“I have a lot of citizens in my district who are on Medicaid, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why we would want to make more people eligible for Medicaid…I don’t have anyone that I know of that likes being on Medicaid.” Nunes said.

The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to remain in session past 5:30 Wednesday evening. Witnesses representing insurance companies are slated to testify at the hearing’s end.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), Chairman of the Media Fairness Caucus, says ABC’s all-day coverage from inside the White House of President Obama’s health care reform plan is journalistically unethical. (:36)

 

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By Aaron Richardson and Sam Wechsler - Talk Radio News Service

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2009, which has recently been introduced to the House and Senate, would raise the cap on the number of resident physicians created by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The bill is backed primarily by Representatives Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 only permits a certain number of Medicare supported resident physicians in each state. Under current conditions, if a hospital hires more than the capped number they will not be paid back for the surplus of residents.

While the population of the country has risen significantly in the last 12 years, the amount of resident physicians has not. This has resulted in a higher patient to physician ratio.

If health reform legislation is passed, then there will not be enough physicians to care for the newly insured. “Covering 45 million uninsured individuals is going to place an incredible burden on an already stressed out system,” said Crowley.

The act sets out to increase the number of young primary care physicians. This is especially important to Florida, where 25 percent of primary care physicians are 65 years of age or older.

“I believe this is a health access crisis” said Stephen Klasko, Dean of the University of South Florida College of Medicine, during a press conference with Castor and Crowley.