but, Bush says that
informing them about their '
health care options' will help them make that choice . . .
President Bush's Radio Address to the Nation for Aug. 19
8/19/2006
"American workers also need affordable, high quality health care, and more transparency in our health care system can help. Next week, I will travel to Minnesota to discuss ways to ensure patients have access to more information about their health care.
When patients know the facts about the price and quality of their health care options, they can make decisions that are right for them."
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=70981'facts' . . .
"Over the next nine years, Medicare physician payments are scheduled for cuts of 37 percent, while at the same time the cost of caring for patients will rise 22 percent," said AMA President-elect Ron Davis, M.D. "Physicians want to serve senior patients, but they cannot afford to accept an unlimited number of new Medicare patients into their practices if Medicare payments do not keep up with the cost of providing care."
"Nearly half (45 percent) of the physicians surveyed by the AMA say that next year's Medicare cut will force them to either decrease, or stop, seeing new Medicare patients," said Dr. Davis. "These are difficult decisions that physicians don't want to make. If Congress doesn't act soon, Medicare patients could have a hard time finding a physician."
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=70658John F. Kerry, Commentary, Boston Globe:Healthcare for a family of four now costs more than a minimum-wage worker earns in a year.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/07/31/getting_moving_on_healthcare/U.S. Senator Russ Feingold:Nearly 50 million Americans are without health insurance, and the federal government spends $32 billion per year for emergency room costs for the uninsured, Feingold noted.
http://www.dunnconnect.com/articles/2006/08/15/news/news01.txtGeorge Lesser, a reporter who has covered international political and economic developments for both U.S. and European publications, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece:
According to Lesser, most U.S. residents "think Americans have 'The Best Health Care System in the World'" and "think 'socialized medicine' doesn't work," but "we spend a lot more for a lot less health care." He concludes, "The bottom line: We pay 43% more for health care than the French do, and we get a whole lot less for our money" (Lesser, Washington Times, 8/16).
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=49859&nfid=rssfeeds