State of the Medical Union
Last night at the State of the Union address President Obama said, “Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same. It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.”
I am not here to bash him. My mom and father-in-law love him. I am an independent but lean conservative. My presidential voting history since I have turned 18, however, has been pretty evenly split between Democrats and Republicans over the years. Without going into excruciating details, I have never liked “Obamacare” for three basic reasons:
- No real increased pay to primary care so there is no incentive to become a family doctor and therefore an underlying drive to produce and hire more LELTs (less experienced, less trained practitioners).
- No malpractice reform to stop defensive medicine and frivolous lawsuits.
- An expansion of Medicaid which is a much abused system where the participants pay nothing and demand/expect everything. It is one big handout with NO expectations of responsibility.
It sure seems to me that if President Obama meant what he said about no handouts and demanding responsibility from everybody then his healthcare plan would need to be revised. Oh, wait, my bad. He said a government and financial system. He didn’t mention the healthcare system. I was wrong. Well, let’s just let healthcare system bankrupt us some more then.
These same arguments – all valid – indict physicians who think the federal government has a legitimate role in the routine delivery of health care, and that they are owed a living in the process.
Dr. Doug;
If my understanding of Obamacare is right, it IS the government and we as healthcare practioners would be defacto government employees. Hence you are correct in saying that his demand for no handouts and mutual responsibilty DOES require a re-thinking of the entire healthcare plan.
You tell us what your “mom and father-in-law” think. What do your Dad and mother-in-law think?
Dad is dead. I miss him in my life.
My mother-in-law…..hmmmm…..not sure
Well said.
You got that damn straight. Obama wants everything for nothing and let his trial lawyer buddies sue our ass off. Ron Paul is the only person for physicians and anybody with half a brain to vote for president.