Comments on: Universal coverage – doomed without more primary care http://www.medrants.com/archives/3883 Internal medicine, American health care, and especially medical education Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:15:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dr. Bob (FP) http://www.medrants.com/archives/3883/comment-page-1#comment-521316 Dr. Bob (FP) Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:03:03 +0000 http://www.medrants.com/?p=3883#comment-521316 I agree Albert. In Massachusetts they're all getting insurance, but can't get care. Simply giving everyone Medicaid who can't afford insurance doesn't solve the problem if there is no one to care for them. Both having health insurance and having a primary doctor are independent predictors of quality, mortality, etc. What often is missed in the health care debate is that just giving people health insurance does not solve the problem. They need a PCP as well, but there will be fewer and fewer if nothing changes. I agree Albert. In Massachusetts they’re all getting insurance, but can’t get care. Simply giving everyone Medicaid who can’t afford insurance doesn’t solve the problem if there is no one to care for them. Both having health insurance and having a primary doctor are independent predictors of quality, mortality, etc. What often is missed in the health care debate is that just giving people health insurance does not solve the problem. They need a PCP as well, but there will be fewer and fewer if nothing changes.

]]> By: Albert Fuchs http://www.medrants.com/archives/3883/comment-page-1#comment-521308 Albert Fuchs Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:44:47 +0000 http://www.medrants.com/?p=3883#comment-521308 DB: But you're a Thomas Sowell fan, so you should know that universal coverage is doomed with or without more primary care. Dr. Bob: We too frequently confuse insurance with care. Lots of people have insurance and can't find care. Our goal shouldn't be universal insurance, it should be increasingly excellent and afordable care. That can only happen with less gov't spending on healtcare, not more. DB: But you’re a Thomas Sowell fan, so you should know that universal coverage is doomed with or without more primary care.

Dr. Bob: We too frequently confuse insurance with care. Lots of people have insurance and can’t find care. Our goal shouldn’t be universal insurance, it should be increasingly excellent and afordable care. That can only happen with less gov’t spending on healtcare, not more.

]]> By: Dr. Bob (FP) http://www.medrants.com/archives/3883/comment-page-1#comment-521305 Dr. Bob (FP) Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:31:47 +0000 http://www.medrants.com/?p=3883#comment-521305 I was in Baltimore for a few weeks in January. I talked with a couple Johns Hopkins professors with the same problem. They had great health insurance & worked at Hopkins, but were having a hard time finding a primary care doctor. What a screwy system where you can work at some of the best medical centers in the world, but you can't find a PCP to take care of you. I was in Baltimore for a few weeks in January. I talked with a couple Johns Hopkins professors with the same problem. They had great health insurance & worked at Hopkins, but were having a hard time finding a primary care doctor. What a screwy system where you can work at some of the best medical centers in the world, but you can’t find a PCP to take care of you.

]]>