weight loss and healthcare reform

Many patients have asked me about what my thoughts are about the healthcare reform that was passed by the House yesterday. To be honest, I have not reviewed the documents and it is my suspician that many of the house members didnt read the entire thing either.

If it doesn't address tort reform and does not focus on the prevention of disease states (with obesity being the biggest culprit) then it fails in the most important issues contributing to the burgeoning costs of healthcare.

If there is no tort reform, physicians will continue to order billions of dollars of unneccesary testing to protect themselves against the free shot that malpractice lawyers can take at them. Just check out the "Have you been injured?" tv commercials and billboards you see. I am certain the Trial Lawyers of America just love this new bill. More potential clients.

If monies are not directed aggressively to controlling the obesity epidemic in America, billions dollars more will be spent treating the diabetes complications, heart disease, cancers and other co-morbidities of weight problems. If insurance companiies are not forced to cover these types of preventative services, then the bill has failed miserably.

For my medical patients: This bill affects nothing related to your care at our office. We have always been and will continue to be just a phone call away from being there for you and your families' medical needs.

weight loss and healthcare reform

Lst week I was watching a bit of the summit taking place where there were a bunch of politicians jockeying for position as to how to look good to the public in their quest to enact healthcare reform.

I have an easy statrt to this process that would save billions of dollars:


1- TORT REFORM.....Billions of dollars are wasted by physicians ordering unnecessary tests on patients to cover their asses in the event a lawyer comes snooping around the chart. It is a free shot by lawyers against doctors in this country. How about this: Lawyers can sue whatever doctor they want,.,,but if the doctor wins the case, the lawyer and client have to pay for all the court costs, legal fees and time spenrt away from the practice the doctor had to experience. Hey, if they have a good case, they shouldn't worry about that possibility, right? The President has said that tort reform is off the table...my question: Why??? This is an easy way to save billions...you not taxing anyone for the money and not cutting fees or services to anyone...But, one has to wonder how many of the politicians around that table are having their campaigns funded by the American Trial Lawyers Association.

2- Force insurance companies to offer coverage for preventative services...obviously, weight loss is a major preventative service that should be a mandatory coverage. Smoking cessation efforts would be the other major service.

Anyway, these are Posner's thoughts for whatever they are worth. As politicians posture for public approval, billions of dollars of waste are occurring. I suppose we can all do our part by trying to become as healthy as possible.