[HM2Viking]

[HM2Viking]

Bulk drug price negotiation yields significant savings:

[HM2Viking]

I think our peers in the OECD have been doing a better job in restraining health cost growth.

[ZASHAGALKA]

Fortunately, most people do what I do and scroll right past all those graphics. The point of debate is to insert your own opinion, not Paul Grubman's.

~faith,
Timothy.

[scottlgarrett]

Originally Posted by HM2Viking

The VA and DOD can bargain for bulk pricing on medications. As a result they purchase medications at a 52% discount from medicare. The prohibition on bulk price discounts is a prime example of how the conservative nanny state was used by the Republicans in congress to protect PHRMA and its profit structure at the expense of the public.

I agree that Medicare is underfunded. However we could in effect obtain significant increases for patient care by ending federal subsidies of the supposedly efficient Medicare advantage plans. We pay 20% more on behalf of medicare advantage beneficiaries than we do for traditional medicare beneficiaries. Another example of the Republican party raiding the public purse to enrich its cronies at the expense of the public. The greatest threat to our economy is double digit health care inflation.Our inflation averages 16%/year while our peers in the OECD countries hold that rate down to single digits.

The real problem is the Socialist Liberals who inundate us with graphs and statistics from other countries with populations and cultures vastly different than ours, decrying Socialist Medicine as the way to go. If you and your Liberal friends are so in love with Europe, go ahead and move there. Become Euro-enlightened, but spare us your socialism. Socialism, Communism, and Facism all failed.
We live in the greatest nation on Earth, where each citizen has the opportunity to succeed or fail without the help of the government. Each adult citizen in this great country pays for the necessary social services to keep things civilized through payroll taxes and sales taxes. Businesses pay even more for these services.

The Liberal Motto should be "IF IT AINT BROKE, FIX IT UNTIL IT IS"

And another thing, the VA and DOD negotiating bulk drug prices with Medicare is like the pot calling the kettle black. Simply one government agency working with another.

[HM2Viking]

Originally Posted by scottlgarrett

And another thing, the VA and DOD negotiating bulk drug prices with Medicare is like the pot calling the kettle black. Simply one government agency working with another.

In the interest of clarity I want to point out that Medicare is NOT allowed to negotiate for bulk price discounts while DOD/VA can negotiate. As a result the DOD/VA system obtains significant cost savings.

I have pointed out in the past in other threads that other countries can learn from us in the "right care" dimension but we can also learn significant lessons from what they do better. Our system is horribly broken and in need of repair.

[HM2Viking]

Originally Posted by ZASHAGALKA

Fortunately, most people do what I do and scroll right past all those graphics. The point of debate is to insert your own opinion, not Paul Grubman's.

~faith,
Timothy.

Informed decisions can only be made with objective sourced data. My challenge has been to provide sourced data that demonstrates how CDHP/HDHP control costs and improve patient health outcomes. I have yet to see any credible evidence that it would be an optimal approach while there is substantial evidence to the contrary.

Every bit of evidence from the world stage and between the states shows that universal coverage works better both from an economic performance standpoint AND in patient outcomes.

Evidence based practice requires us as professionals to examine data to design, evaluate and implement interventions.

BTW the columnists name is Paul Krugman. Misstating his name could be taken as a slur and I am quite sure that you would not do that deliberately.

[Jolie]

[quote=HM2Viking;2643189]Responsible coporate employers provide health insurance to their employees. Failing to provide health benefits on a corporate level is the same as not paying your taxes as an individual. Part of the solution is to adopt a pay or play requirement for business./QUOTE]

Why do you single out corporate employers?

Responsible employers (of any size or configuration) are those that provide the wages, benefits and working conditions they have promised their employees. That may or may not include health insurance, a matter to be decided by the employer and employee, not Big Brother.

Why stop at health insurance? Why not insist that "responsible employers" provide their employees with housing, food, clothing and transportation as well. After all, these items are just as important, if not more so than healthcare. Why give an employee any salary at all? Why not just promise to take care of him since he is seemingly incapable of doing so?

Oh, I get it! That's what we have government for!

[Jolie]

[quote=HM2Viking;2645436]
Evidence based practice requires us as professionals to examine data to design, evaluate and implement interventions.

So give us a study, done here in the United States, that compares various options for healthcare delivery and financing and which clearly shows the costs/benefits of each.

[HM2Viking]

I think that we can use the performance data of the following to make a prima facia case as models for designing a better system:

1. VA medical system
2. FEBP

Rgds