Canada Care

Here's a link to an article explaining IMAC (Indpendent Medicare Advisory Council) that would help reform Medicare. In case you care, Mayo is supportive of this effort because it moves Medicare to "value based" payment model. As much as Obama loves Mayo, Mayo is not loving Obama's plan. In fact, here is Mayo's reaction to the Tri-Committee Bill:

"Although there are some positive provisions in the current House Tri-Committee bill – including insurance for all and payment reform demonstration projects – the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite.

In general, the proposals under discussion are not patient focused or results oriented. Lawmakers have failed to use a fundamental lever – a change in Medicare payment policy – to help drive necessary improvements in American health care. Unless legislators create payment systems that pay for good patient results at reasonable costs, the promise of transformation in American health care will wither. The real losers will be the citizens of the United States."

A dedicated reader of my blog informed me of this video here. It is an undercover look into Canada's health care system, and what the process is like to receive care from a doctor. This is something I've been wanting to see, because I am curious about the reality of it all. I'm kind of surprised there haven't been more efforts like this. Anyway, it gives you an idea of the kind of bureaucracy that government puts between citizens and their doctors, along with the taxes it takes to make health care "free" for all. No thanks!

Here's another blog that another dedicated reader has made me aware of. He has some interesting insights concerning healthcare and Obama.