“All the news that’s fit to print”
Very good stuff in the Friday NY Times. Admittedly, I’m late getting this up, but if you haven’t seen this yet, here are two articles worth your review.
First, there is a terribly interesting story on how some providers in California are over-radiating their patients. For instance:
For reasons not yet fully understood, the X-ray technologist, Raven Knickerbocker, activated the CT scan 151 times on the same area, state investigators concluded. A normal test involves some 25 images, Mr. Schlag said. The test was terminated only after the victim’s father, who had been holding his son still, began to worry that it was taking too long.
Another interesting read in the Times talks to the increasing rifts among the Senate Democratic caucus members. Sure, the public option was discussed. But more importantly in my mind was the discussion on adjusting Medicare rates. I wrote about this earlier this week. It looks like the bill to eliminate the, now reported at 21.5%, cut to physician payments effective Jan 1 will come up in the Senate next week. But, it won’t be easy.
“It’s not fiscally responsible,” Mr. Bayh said. “I could not vote for a bill that raises the deficit by $240 billion, not at a time when we are already hemorrhaging red ink. The physicians’ issue needs to be addressed, but not in a way that increases the deficit.”
Mr. Conrad, who is chairman of the Budget Committee, was furious at the possibility that Congress might adjust payment rates for doctors without offsetting the cost. “I don’t agree with just adding that amount to the debt,” Mr. Conrad said, adding, “I won’t vote for it.”
With this effort advancing before a final reconciliation of the Finance and HELP Committee bills comes forward, will this endanger final passage of reform in the Senate? We’ll see.
Posted by DJ at 9:16 PM 1 comment Links to this post
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