Bluedogs Have the Swing Power in Health Care Reform

The Democratic Blue Dogs have stepped back from the abyss of health care reform spending.
Joined by Republicans and Independents, the groups realize the huge expense and mistake of tackling all of health care reform in one bill.

The committees are slowing down the markup process in some instances in order to rewrite and retrench their thinking.  About time.

The public option and the large cost to insure everyone has come under fire.  Justifiably so in my view.
The alternate ideas of having health exchanges and promoting more choice among employers would cost less and be more open to innovation needed to reduce future increases in the cost of health care.

Perhaps they should look at simplifying what care is offered and organize that part of the bill first.
Perhaps a regulation should be drafted to force HMOs and other health plans to accept everyone without regard to pre-existing conditions.  Certainly regulations and enforcement need to be more uniform and strict in regards to the abuse of patients.  Certainly Physicians should be encouraged to treat appropriately without throwing in the kitchen sink in the hopes of appeasing everyone and avoiding malpractice lawsuits.

In regards to malpractice, the practice of mediation and confession of mistakes would do much to reduce the turmoil in these areas and keep legal costs down.  Malpractice insurance can be subsidized by the government and salaries and education loans granted earlier in the careers of doctors and other health care professionals.

 I believe a separate state mediation system and even low level state courts have merit.  We want to police bad doctors who should find another field of endeavor and at the same time not drive out goods ones who just happened to have had a bad (and usually unlucky) day dealing with a seriously ill patient.

Patient safety programs and more intensive audits of specialists can reduce unnecessary patient deaths and complications if we make it meritorious and financially advantageous.  The 21st Century is the time of opportunity and should be one of better long term health care for all.