Medicare

Dangerous Bedfellows

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that HHS is “working in concert with our partners in the private, public, and non-profit sectors to transform the nation’s health system to emphasize value over volume.” But three dangerous CMS initiatives in this effort will take patient care and medical decisions out of doctors’ hands and allow Big Business, Big Health and Big Government make the calls.

Refusals: Tale of 3 Gov’t Health Care Programs

6 Reasons ‘Doc Fix’ Bill Is Dangerous for Americans

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF, www.cchfreedom.org) is urging Americans to contact their Senators and tell them to say “no” to the costly and controlling “Doc Fix” bill that would rate doctors based on compliance rather than care, expand Obamacare payment systems, and build intrusive Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

GOP “Fix” for Doctors Advances Obamacare

Ask the U.S. Senate to VOTE NO on the “doc fix” bill. Senators return Monday, April 13 with plans to pass it. Call your Senator today and say, “H.R. 2 supports Obamacare. Don’t pass the bill.”

They Thought We’d Get Over Obamacare

They thought we’d get over Obamacare. Yesterday during my interview with ABC News in Washington, D.C., I said the five years of opposition is unprecedented. It’s also wise. As I wrote in an op-ed published by THE HILL there are nine “takeover elements” of Obamacare.

Using Children to Federalize Health Care?

Beware the Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act of 2014. Proponents say the ACE Kids Act (H.R. 4930) will improve coordination of care for children with complex conditions on state government programs. Sponsored by Congressman Joe Barton (R- Texas), it has 48 Republican and 56 Democrat co-sponsors.

Meet Your Insurer: Your Doctor

Will patients be unwelcome in doctor’s offices? On January 26, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it’s moving away from fee-for-service Medicare payments – the way you pay your plumber, your hairstylist, your photographer – and planning to tie 30% of Medicare payments to “quality” by 2016 and 50% by the end of 2018.

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom Celebrates Victories for Patient Rights in 2014

ST. PAUL, Minn.—This past year was perhaps one of the most crucial in history regarding patient rights and privacy, as important issues such as government health care, the storage of and research on baby DNA and federal biosurveillance plans all made headlines.

Your Doctor, the Robot

Will robots dictate medical treatment? In “Could Artificial Intelligence End the Electronic Medical Record Nightmare?” physician Kevin R. Stone says doctors, nurses and patients used to talk with each other to share information and solve problems, but now, “The electronic medical record has killed the oral science.” 

Between a Rock…and a Readmission

We’re in a hard place. Last year, Obamacare initiated a program to reduce so-called “excess readmissions” in hospitals. Section 3025 requires all hospitals subject to the policy to pay a penalty, called a “payment adjustment,” up to 3% if they readmit too many Medicare patients within 30 days of discharge.