The early 1990s brought about a few economic changes, most notably the newfound economic prosperity which led to the largest government surplus in 30 years by 1998. Economic growth shrank the U.S. government’s budget ledger, and unemployment was at an all-time low. The character of the healthcare economy during the era of HillaryCare and its failure to get off the ground remained one delineated by an increased rate of spending, as this sector had to keep pace with its tremendous job growth.
At the time, Medicare policy under HCFA[1] went through policy changes as the government’s effort to trim the cost of healthcare began to pick up steam. The utilization of the program’s Relative Value Scale, still in use today, was an effort to standardize costs across medical specialties. Many physicians today assert that this historic policy move by the government is one of the reasons healthcare costs have continued to climb, leading the AMA to cautiously (well, almost reluctantly) endorse the recent House reform bill passage.
And it’s just another reason Blue Dogs and Republicans in the Senate in their rhetorical war against a massive public option will have the upperhand in the next phase of the healthcare debate, which could be delayed until 2010. Don’t believe me? Just ask Joe Lieberman (I-CT).
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Originating from Saint Paul, Minnesota, [doctorpundit.com] is a weblog about the policy of healthcare and where it intersects with politics and public opinion; it is edited by Michael Douglas, MD, MBA. Welcome, and please consider my take on what is Healthcare 2.0, complemented by a few of my thoughts on my personal avocations and guilty pleasures: music, prose, and writing. Follow Doctor Pundit via RSS above.
#Combination of #ICS and #LABA appears to reduce severe asthma attacks: http://t.co/MLA3cGGg | #Henry #Ford #Hospital #medications
“This is what you need — a magic dot.” http://t.co/eI38152D #hcmktg, #marketing #identity rt @ellienhoenig “This is what you need — a magic dot.” http://t.co/GbZUvOeK #hcmktg, #marketing #identity rt @ellienhoenig
RT @iamINVINCEable I took a career and personality test and it showed that the following careers suit me #psychology, #science. #physician
How Digital Tools Help Companies Offer Better Health Care http://t.co/OMeLaNhW #mashable #ehealth
DOCTOR PUNDIT @ ONE YEAR | An occasional DP series from 2010 highlighting healthcare policy trends over the period from 2009-2010 in a compare/contrast format.
