Saturday, September 22, 2012

Denver Debate: Gorman Vs. Emanuel

Independence Institute health economist Linda Gorman and key ObamaCare architect Dr. Zeke Emanuel recently participated in a debate over health care policy here in Colorado.

The Denver Post reports the highlights in its 9/21/2012 article, "Health care battle has plenty of fight left, Denver panel shows".

A few points by Gorman, as reported by the Denver Post:
The Affordable Care Act strips exactly the kind of freedom consumers need to make better care choices and reduce costs.

[T]he subsidies and patient-managing plans of "Obamacare" wipe consumer choice out of the picture. By contrast... procedures where buyers know the price and have real choice, like Lasik eye surgery and urgent-care centers, have seen costs come down through true competition.

Americans have tried that managed-care system in earlier decades, and many wound up hating the "capitated" model where they were denied care they wanted so they could save money... Such a system also pushes insurers to cherry-pick healthier patients to avoid high costs...
A few claims by Emanuel:
Our health care system is the fifth largest economy in the world and still tens of millions of Americans go without care...

Doctors and hospitals will join to manage each patient's care more efficiently, and win rewards from insurance funds if they save money and improve quality...
[T]he Romney-Ryan budget proposals would cut Medicaid funding up to 75 percent, a disaster for states and poorer patients.
More details at: "Health care battle has plenty of fight left, Denver panel shows".