President Obama has once again given a speech on his health care plan surrounded by physicians and health care practitioners. Many physicians and practitioners support his plan; many others oppose it. Showing some supporters in white coats is a prop that could influence only the foolish. It shows little respect — if not contempt — for the target audience.
(Question: How stupid do the President’s advisors think we are? Answer: Pretty stupid.)
Here’s a link to a story on why the Newfoundland and Labrador Premier had cardiac surgery in the U.S. rather than Canada. Â “My Heart, My Choice.”
Former Secretary of Labor and Berkeley professor of public policy Robert Reich’s Feb. 23 op-ed in the NYT, “Bust the Health Care Trusts” displays a shocking amount of ignorance about health insurance and the antitrust exemption for the “business of insurance.” Even a rudimentary amount of research would have shown Professor Reich that the antitrust exemption has had nothing to do with consolidation in health insurance or with health insurance pricing. He simply does not know what he’s talking about.
(If you are interested in reality, see my op-ed “Competition and Health Insurance”.)