Will Congress Expand Intrusion by Calling it "Research"?

Titles of legislation often deceive. Consider H.R. 6, the “21^st Century Cures Act” authored by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI). The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee meets tomorrow to advance this bipartisan bill, which will: 1) hand over your private health data to millions of corporate and government outsiders for so-called “research”; and 2) prohibit electronic health records (EHR) from interfering with such research. 

Obamacare “Divide and Conquer” Strategy?

America’s largest health insurer is buying a national chain of urgent care clinics. Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the United States, is purchasing MedExpress, which “operates 141 neighborhood medical centers in 11 states.” What does it mean if your doctor, clinic and insurer have joined camps?

The Technology That Threatens Patient Lives

The EHR was untested and untried – and now we know, dangerous. Last week a litigation expert said Congress may need to create an Injury Compensation Fund for Electronic Health Records (EHRs), similar to the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund. (Politico Pro, April 28, 2015).

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.” 

Refusals: Tale of 3 Gov’t Health Care Programs

Training New Doctors for the System

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.

The Danger of Obama’s “Pre-Existing Conditions” Ban

What is insurance? I’ll bet you bought insurance for your car, your house, your rental unit, your computer system, or your income (disability insurance) hoping NEVER to use that policy -- but grateful to have it in case the worst happened.

Obamacare’s “Ball and Chain”

Obama knew what he was doing. Before he tackled Obamacare, he signed HITECH into law. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act – a euphemism if there ever was one – was part of the 2009 Recovery Act (“economic stimulus”).