Posted on 08/11/2014 9:09:16 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
The law created the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to launch experiments in every state, changing the way doctors and hospitals are paid, building networks between caregivers and training them to intervene before chronic illness gets worse.
The centers ten-year, $10 billion budget is the largest ever devoted to transforming care. In several states the office is working to overhaul medicine for nearly all residents not just those with government Medicare and Medicaid coverage.
Hundreds of organizations have gotten money. More than $2 billion has been doled out or committed since 2011.
One of the biggest experiments is the center itself. Skeptics, including Republicans but also those who support the health law, wonder if its up to the task.
Even policy pros who hope the innovation lab succeeds wonder if its investment will pay off and complain that it is slow to disclose information on spending and results.
Dr. Patrick Conway, the top Department of Health and Human Services official who runs the center, calls it an underappreciated and essential part of the health law. Its incredibly critical, he says.
The offices goal is nothing less than health cares three pots of gold over the rainbow: making medicine less of an ordeal, improving patients health and controlling the spiraling costs that burden taxpayers, employers and consumers.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.huffpost.com ...
But they're always after O's lucky charms. :( /s
I will not click on Huffington Post.
I notice most of the money went to NY, CA, IL, MN, NC, and MA. All blue states with the exception of NC, which is purple trending blue.
...uh...maybe they should start with building a website that works...
“Hundreds of organizations have gotten money. More than $2 billion has been doled out or committed since 2011.”
Political graft of the highest order.
It would save the taxpayers 10 billion, well, all but $21.00 (plus tax).
I suppose butting the hell out isnt an option.
Hundreds of organizations have gotten money. More than $2 billion has been doled out or committed since 2011.
A lot of the ‘organizations’ who have gotten this money are health insurance companies selling supplemental plans to seniors. They’ve ramped up intervention efforts, for example sending staff on weekly visits of their clients to ask personal questions like: are you taking your medicine, how much exercise did you get last week, have you gone to the doctor this week, if so what for?
Weekly visits? Is this really necessary?
Gee, can I try, for only $1M?
Competition.
Fraud reduction.
HSAs.
Prevention incentives.
Tort reform.
Claim commonization.
Immigration control.
Welfare mom sterilization.
ObamaCare - socialized, rationed medicine - is enough of a big idea for a generation.
What we need is (1) repeal ObamaCare, (2) pass laws permitting us to insure our health the way we insure our cars, with coverage for large unexpected bills but not for gasoline, oil changes, and tires (routine checkups, immunizations, and birth control, or whatever else we can pay for out of pocket to save money), and (3) change tax laws so there is no longer an incentive to tie medical insurance to your job.
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