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July 22, 2009

Mayo Clinic throws cold water on Obamacare

By Ethel C. Fenig

Apparently President Barack Obama (D) and his health care policy wonks are so obsessed with "reforming" health care at any cost  that they actually failed to consult with experts who have experience and who know what they are doing. 

Obama's wonks certainly don't.  Arrogantly self righteous, smugly assuming because they predict something will happen it will happen, ignoring the advice of others who disagree, Obama and his acolytes repeatedly praised the Mayo Clinic, holding it up as an example of health care reform for all.  Obviously they thought the experts at Mayo agreed with them. But their assumptions are wrong.    

The Mayo Clinic didn't become one of the pre-eminent medical institutions in the world by falling for false presidential flattery. They are experienced and they think Obama is wrong.  And they forthrightly say so.  Here, straight from the Mayo Clinic's Health Policy blog, is their reply to Obama's unworkable theories.      

 . . .the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite. In general, the proposals under discussion are not patient focused or results oriented.

Lawmakers have failed to use a fundamental lever - a change in Medicare payment policy - to help drive necessary improvements in American health care. Unless legislators create payment systems that pay for good patient results at reasonable costs, the promise of transformation in American health care will wither. The real losers will be the citizens of the United States.

Got that?  The experts Obama consistently invoke publicly state his proposals will not "help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients.  . .it will do the opposite." 

Health care "reform" isn't an ivory tower academic exercise but requires real life multiple plans for a real world requiring real outcomes, based not on assumptions but understanding the multiple problems.  The lovely nurses accessorizing Obama at his propaganda press conferences are excellent practioners I'm sure.  But they are not experts on the whole panoply of health care policy-- insurance, costs, who should pay and other areas that make up the complex arena that is health care. 

"Good patient results" and "reasonable costs" are not abstract concepts but realities in health care--and in real life.  But those who live in the protected womb of government, away from realities, insulated from the consequences of the application of their planning just don't know how to deal with such realities.  But that hasn't stopped them from using their power to push through poorly thought out health care "reform."

If these recommendations become law "the real losers will be the citizens of the United States."

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