Do ya think controlling health care costs is a challenge? Massachusetts shelves its reform plans, take notice Mr. Obama reform goes beyond the rhetoric

Massachusetts has long billed itself as a leader in health care reform and like the federal government it promoted the expansion of coverage as the same thing as real reform. As health care costs continue to escalate, the State tries capping premiums which is like celebrating over a vein of Fools Cold. At the same time there is talk about changing the payment system. Now, according to Boston.com here is where they are:

“The state’s ambitious, first-in-the-nation plan to transform how hospitals and doctors are paid is on hold, at least for this year, largely because of disagreements among key officials, legislators, and providers over how best to control health care spending.

Senate President Therese Murray, a leading advocate of payment changes, said in an interview that she will not file legislation to change the system this year, as originally planned, because of the logistical and political complexity of changing a system that has been in place for decades. The current payment system — in which doctors and hospitals are typically paid a negotiated fee for every procedure and visit — is also profitable for many providers.

Murray said discussions about the plan to improve coordination of care and to reduce costs by essentially putting many providers on a budget have been “very frustrating.’’

“It’s like going around in circles,’’ she said. “Nobody is in agreement on anything.’’

Really, you mean it has come to light that health care reform is far more than insurance reform?  How can that be, have you checked with the President on that?

This is just a peek at what America faces if it ever gets serious about reforming health care. In the meantime the Country is in for the same fate as Massachusetts, ever rising costs eating up the budget and dissolving the illusion that health care has been made affordable.

 
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 Gee this budget stuff is real, who would have thunk it?