Denton County, Texas Healthcare Forum (x post)

[ashling]

Denton County Democratic Party
The Denton County Democratic Party received information today about an important meeting taking place tomorrow evening regarding health care reform. Sponsored by the Texas Medical Association, the Denton County Medical Society, and www.MeandMyDoctor.com , you will have an opportunity to voice your opinion regarding this important issue at a town hall meeting for patients and doctors. The event will take place on Wednesday, July 29, from 6:30 -8:30, at the Courthouse-on-the-Square, 110 W. Hickory in Denton. We urge you to attend.

If you cannot attend the meeting, please go to the www.MeandMyDoctor.com website and complete the questionaire regarding your views about changing our heath care system.

We hope to see you tomorrow night!



cross posting for maximum coverage

[Aragorn]

1. TMA

I knew it when I saw the web page colors. TMA is not representative of Texas doctors -(OK, they are of SOME of them) and does not really care about patients' rights. They opposed a bill to stop abuse by the Texas Medical Board because they feared some doctors' costs would go up - not because the bill was unneeded. They have a history of throwing their support for or against issues/candidates without polling their members at all. That's why I quit them years ago. This is likely just an astro-turf meeting, which you may already know. And I don't say "don't even go" - just don't think it will be pro-patient. I predict 2 things: 1) TMA wants to preserve/increase ability of patients to choose their doctor(s) THEREFORE they oppose "socialized medicine" and 2) TMA does agree with Republican senate proposals to limit malpractice awards (which is not a bad thing) - but Texas already did that.

Texas has the lowest per cent of doctors accepting Medicaid (last time anyone looked) and the TMA will be against any public option (or any other plan) which might lower physician reimbursement. Oops, that's a third prediction.

Remember the McAllen statistics? TMA had a chance to support fiscal responsibility on that didn't they? Any peep from them about it?

[flamin lib]

2. Limiting Malpractice awards a good thing? Maybe not so much.

George Bush got tort reform passed here in Texas when he was governor. In Texas awards are limited to actual monetary damages with a cap of $250,000 for "pain & suffering", the punitive part of the award.

So, if a 35year old working at $50k/year is injured beyond being able to work for the rest of his/her life the award is limited to $1.5 mil. That has to cover all medical expenses for the rest of that person's life beyond the 65 year old cut off assumed for purposes of lifetime income to the actual end of life and replace the income lost to the family. Above that only $250,000 can be awarded no matter how egregious the medical mistake was UNLESS it can be shown that the malpractice was intentional. In other words if the surgeon left a sponge inside that resulted in sepsis you have to prove that s/he woke up in the morning with the intent of leaving a sponge in somebody.

Okay, you say, take the $1.75 mil and put it in an annuity that pays a flat 4% and reap $70 mil over the life of the patient. Not so fast! Our tort reform allows the insurance company to pay the award out over the life of the patient. In other words they put the money in an annuity and actually make money off your award.

Did it save a lot of money for Doctors? Depending on who you talk to not so much or maybe some. A internist before paid about $12k/year, now pays $6k. Is $500 a month worth what the patient gave up?