Your article is pretty pointed and makes some generalized statements but does not cite any of the resources you have used. There are many studies which demonstrate that cardiac interventions have improved outcomes and saved lives compared to drug only therapy for patients with unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction. Even if there are studies out there showing drug therapy is close to as effective in some circumstances, there is simply far more evidence to state otherwise. I don't think any cardiologist would suggest simply giving medication to a patient undergoing an acute MI when a cardiac stent might actually prevent the infarct from progressing.
Physician payment makes up 8-10% of all health care costs. Even if you cut provider payment by 50%, you'll only decrease costs by 4-5%, hardly enough to blunt the rapid growth of health care expenditure. And you'll create access problems for people who need it most. I don't think cutting provider payments is the answer to our problems.
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Your article is pretty pointed and makes some generalized statements but does not cite any of the resources you have used. There are many studies which demonstrate that cardiac interventions have improved outcomes and saved lives compared to drug only therapy for patients with unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction. Even if there are studies out there showing drug therapy is close to as effective in some circumstances, there is simply far more evidence to state otherwise. I don't think any cardiologist would suggest simply giving medication to a patient undergoing an acute MI when a cardiac stent might actually prevent the infarct from progressing.
Physician payment makes up 8-10% of all health care costs. Even if you cut provider payment by 50%, you'll only decrease costs by 4-5%, hardly enough to blunt the rapid growth of health care expenditure. And you'll create access problems for people who need it most. I don't think cutting provider payments is the answer to our problems.
August 23, 2009 - 10:08amThis Comment
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