Medicare After Health Reform: Not Your Parents' Plan

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Dr. Healy is not only a discredited business person (see earlier remarks about her willful disregard for honesty), her comments in this article are pure fabrications. She twists the good to make it sound bad (reread her comments about CER and installs doubt and fear.
Her statement that "Government will trump doctors, and it will be sold as safer, better and less wasteful care" is a complete lie and she knows it.
I guess headlines are more important than the truth.
Shame on you US News and World Report for publishing such garbage.

cbcory of CO 9:48PM January 05, 2011

Has a different health care plan and different retirement plan. That's why they are always cutting and raiding the two public plans. (Medicare and SSI). They don't care because it doesn't effect them.

Robert Lister of AZ 1:50AM October 01, 2010

Funny how none of these changes and regulations for healthcare apply to the very people who are forcing them on us!
Why doesn't healthcare reform apply to Congress?
What's up with that?

Bobby of TX 12:58AM May 06, 2010

Well EVERYONE voted for CHANGE! Here IT COMES!

Bobby of TX 12:51AM May 06, 2010

Is it not the same Dr. Healy who being a CEO of American Red Cross during 9/11 was kicked out of her position for mismanaging 9/11 money and blood donations? Who without consulting and asking permission of the donors and the board of directors distributed the funds anywhich way she saw appropriate and dumping thousands of blood donations in the garbage? She can really give a great advice.

irene of CA 5:22PM March 24, 2010

This generation is all about what the government can do for you not about what you can do for your country . I am in Miami and there are so many young single mothers with not one but over 3 children completely under the government care. My husband and I worked hard to be able to afford to have a family, and when we finally thought we could start a family the economy crashes. Now, we still not have our own children but our taxes are supporting for these single mothers (who do not even know sometimes who are the fathers).Well, my husband and I paid our individual insurances, and we are happy with the coverage, not too happy with the premium amounts which increases every year because down here in Florida we have many undocumented (illegal) immigrants who go to the emergency and don't pay and no way for the doctors/hospitals collect their money.It is like a snow bowl. Public schools are down...now our health care is going in the same direction.

Lucia of FL 1:50PM March 24, 2010

on disability under the age of 65. had to retire early with severe illnesses.
my problem, i am ready by 5-1-2010 to take on medicare after being on disability for 24 months. looked into supplemental policies and going with our own health insurance for a secondary which my husband kept after retiring 5 years ago. word i got today from my neice in Dallas Tx as a Pharma Rep.
She walked into one of her offices today where are 25 established Doctors in this building. the first thing that she saw was a lady up from giving out flyers Stating that WE NO LONGER ARE TAKING MEDICARE> you will have to make other arrangements either paying CASH or by Health Insurance other than Medicare. So, what do we have to look forward to?

jinny of TX 2:47AM March 18, 2010

As a health care provider with a specialty in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, I find Dr. Healy's comments are both uninformed and disturbing. Palliative Care is not a medical option for hastening the death of the chronically ill. Palliative Care is patient-focused care aimed at easing the symptoms that often make the chronically ill miserable. Easing the symptoms of shortness of breath, pain, nausea, and fatigue that other diagnosticians often overlook or ignore. Morphine, when given in proper doses to a patient with lung disease controls shortness of breath so that the patient can walk, eat, and attend to self care activities. It does not hasten their death as evidenced by multiple studies that support the premise that patients who receive palliative care often live longer than those who do not. Likewise, providing a sleep aid to a patient with Parkinson's disease provides "a good night's sleep" which we all know makes one feel better the next day. That in no way constitutes "terminal sedation" which Dr. Healy confuses with palliative sedation. Palliative sedation is used rarely and only for patients who are actively dying and with an uncontrolled symptom so severe that it is deemed (often by family members) to be patient "suffering". Palliative sedation is always a last resort, thoughtfully discussed with the patient and/or family. It does not hasten death but provides relief from an uncontrolled symptom so that the patient's death is more peaceful.
It is time to have an honest debate about healthcare reform without presenting one's personal "opinions" laced with inaccurate information that questions the motives and ethics of a group of professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life for those suffering from chronic and/or incurable illnesses.

Angela of GA 11:20PM February 16, 2010

When my mother was in the Cleveland Clinic for heart surgery, I stayed in a hotel across from the heart center. The hotel lobby was like an outpost of the middle east as each evening the white robed Muslims who had family members there for treatment would gather to visit.
They flew in their private jets here to the USA where they could get the finest care.
Our country has the resources and the willingness to improve our health care and extend it to all Americans, but we are being denied the chance to do that by Obamacare's proposals of 118 new govt agencies to control and guide the accessibility and delivery of our care. The health boards, which would determine the cost-effective treatments, were included into the first stimuShlush bill so as not to call attention to them. This board of unelected appointees would make the decisions which would encourage doctors and hospitals to do the approved things...(no matter what the individual patient may need) lest they be penalized financially or lose their licensing.
Increased healthcare coverage and reduced costs can be achieved through tort reform, portability of insurance, high deductible policies and other incremental steps which would not destroy the good in our current system.
However, none of these improvements would provide this administration with the power and control of the plans they have passed in the House and Congress. These plans are an attempt at creating a permanent entitled block of voters. They do not improve the quality of our care but would affect every single Americans care.
In the UK the National Health Service employees form a solid block of voters. The UK's NHS is the world's third largest employer..after the India National Railway and the Chinese Red Army. A similar system in the USA would quickly become an overwhelming voting block as the agencies and govt departments would grow and grow.
For good reasons the vast majority of Americans do not want Obamacare forced upon them. 80% of Americans are happy with their healthcare and do not want the government coming into the examining room with them.
Americans are often frustrated with their insurance companies, but would not want the government which runs the IRS, AMTRAK, Medicaid and the Post Office to take over healthcare. No one wants to take a number and go to the end of the line and wait to be called in order to try to get an appointment with a primary care physician .....let alone to fill out the forms and go through the wait until they are allowed to see a specialist.
This administration should get out of the way of efficient, citizen focused reform which puts the money and the power back into the hands of the Americans to whom it rightfully belongs.

Barbara of NY 9:30PM January 30, 2010

Enjoy what you do got and learn to trust your people who take care of you now, they wont change...if you can't do that..thats a stronger problem than government running your health care.

Jen of HI 3:02AM January 26, 2010