Free Republic

We all keep hearing of how the costs of healthcare have skyrocketed and that the government has to "do something" about it. Obama keeps claiming, despite the evidence put out by the Congressional Budget Office, that his plan will lower costs. Still, the cost issue is central to this debate so in that vein the House healthcare bill has a few interesting ways to address costs. One of those cost saving measures seems to be a patient dumping plan that will move the elderly away from more expensive medical procedures and place them in an institutionalized "home" setting reminiscent of...

The House health-care reform bill proposes to decrease hospital visits by establishing a “medical home pilot program” for elderly and disabled Americans. Such a medical home would not require a physician to be on the staff, and therefore could be run solely by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Medical homes also would practice “evidence-based” medicine, which advocates only the use of medical treatments that are supported by effectiveness research. But physicians’ groups say the legislation could lead to restrictions on which treatments may be used for certain conditions, despite the fact that some patients might require a unique or unconventional...

The House health-care reform bill proposes to decrease hospital visits by establishing a “medical home pilot program” for elderly and disabled Americans. Such a medical home would not require a physician to be on the staff, and therefore could be run solely by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Medical homes also would practice “evidence-based” medicine, which advocates only the use of medical treatments that are supported by effectiveness research. But physicians’ groups say the legislation could lead to restrictions on which treatments may be used for certain conditions, despite the fact that some patients might require a unique or unconventional...