Uwe Reinhardt: Plain Talk on Health Reform

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Being transparent on an over high priced product isn't the solution. We have too many hospitals running at 50% or lower capacity. That is why healthcare is so high, and until we begin to limit the number of facilities, we haven't a chance of controlling costs.

Frank Shiffer of TN 9:52AM May 24, 2011

Popular in inquiry education, divergent questions allow students to explore different avenues and create many different variations and alternative answers or scenarios. ,

Mr.Carrot72 of KY 6:30AM October 23, 2009

Now we have the proof of the pudding thanks to you. ,

His_wife43 of MS 7:24AM October 22, 2009

Single payer isn't the only way to ensure transparency and cost-effective health care for all Americans, but it's an obvious first choice.

Mark of MA 2:25PM September 06, 2009

Mr. Reinhardt said it like it really is, and yes I would hope
Mr. Reinhardt could talk to our president Obama about all of this, its
the prices, the cost that no one has a clear understanding of. I believe this is what Obama is trying to change.
The primary care physician or should I say the gatekeeper,the hospitals, the insurnace company's the pharmaceutical's. Are to
blame. They are the ones calling all the shots here.
There is no set price even on doctor visit's. My daughter once went in to see the doctor and told the assitant she had no medical insurance, so she charged her a minumum of $50.00.
Than shopped around for the cheapest pharmacy.
Speical interest groups. Yet what we have in place right now, for the American people is not working, it is failing!
The cobra plan is a laugh, who can afford that if your on un-
employedment, have you seen what it cost?!
I worked as a temporary Medi-Cal eligibility worker at a county hospital, illegal aliens could apply for medi-cal coverage, yet I had no medical insurance.
I work now for a company that offers me Health Net medical insurance, yet I pay for one eye drop medication $30.00 that is the co-payment, the price varys from $59.00 to $89.00 regular price, I don't get it, so my eye doctor gave me a free sample the same size container, the exact one, there is a real imbalance in our system, and its failing all of us, and yes
our children will be the ones that will have to pay for the whole mess later, if not in higher cost, and being refused certain medical procedures, to having to take care of there ailing senior parents. God help us.

A. I. Sepulveda of CA 6:34PM July 23, 2009

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Aboutflxii of OK 10:50PM July 14, 2009

Yeap, Dr. Reinhardt has hit the nail on the head. Everybody is too afraid to blame on the hospitals too. The true is that hospitals and health insurance companies go to GREAT lengths to shield the true price of the transaction. Why? Because hospitals want to use the full nominal price to squeeze money from uninsured or co-payments OR use it to get good tax discounts posting smaller profits.
Transparency is the answer. I will not be happy with a plan REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT that doesn't address the patient's right to understand what he/she has been insured for, and to get simple and easy to understand billing.

Jose R of FL 5:19PM July 06, 2009

Best opinion I have heard or read on our current health care mess. As an RN who has both professional and personal experience with the system I agree with Dr. Reinhardt. Health care should not be a business!
I knew that hospital and physician charges varied, but was not aware how widely, In other words: charge what the market will bear! I "trained" to become a nurse in the old times when hospitals were meant to serve the community, not to luxurious "hotels" with suites for the family.Currently, in my area, two perfectly good hospitals are being moved away from the urban area and will be rebuilt at a cost of millions of dollars in a more affluent areas.

allison leavens of NJ 10:45PM July 04, 2009

Medicare has all the Dx codes and prices (transparencey) they will pay for care, as public knowledge for each state.
I continue to say we need a Health Care PLAN not insurance plans for our citizens.
Tweek the Medicare payments so they are fair for the MDs and other health care providers and dump all the money now going to private insurance companies (paid by employers and self payers) and all the money going Medicaid and put all USA citizens and permanent residents on Medicare. Call it something else if it makes you feel better. One plan one payor. Others who are not citizens or permanent residents would have to buy into Medicare or go back to their country of origin.
In otherwords, tax us all the same percentage of income to pay for this, and pay all the same rates in every state and territory for diagnoses and treatments to the MDs and other health care providers. No more private multipayor insurance companies for health care. They can continue to rip us off with house, car, business, etc insurance policies instead of ripping off Americans' health.

Michael of FL 3:19PM July 03, 2009

The current healthcare system is just as he says. Many times you are required to sign that you won't discuss the hospital's business. So the public doesn't realize the cost until the bill comes. Personally know that Medicare and Medicaid does pay for services -- somewhat. Some physicians will limit Medicare patients in there practice or only take a portion of these. Some specialized physicians will only see you for one medical / cunsult per visit -- then schedule you for another visit for the other concern or medical condition. This is a cost that the patient and Medicare/ Medicaid patients and others pay for. Many people wait until they are on Medicare to get some of their medical services taken care of -- many of these are then more chronic and cost are higher. I could go on.

Connie RN of CO 2:34PM July 02, 2009