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Clinton proposal would raise standards for health providers
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By HOLLY RAMER
The Associated Press
Friday, Aug. 24, 2007
LEBANON – Hillary Rodham Clinton promised yesterday that as President she would improve health-care quality by raising standards for providers, educating patients and requiring insurers to reward innovation.
While most, if not all of her rivals have proposed detailed health care overhaul plans, Clinton is taking an incremental approach. She started with a speech in June on reducing costs, followed by yesterday's address on quality, and will outline her plan for universal health care coverage next month.
"Too often, and in too many places, our health-care system hurts us instead of helps us," Clinton said at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. "It hurts doctors, who aren't rewarded for providing the best care and are often punished for it financially. It hurts nurses who are asked to work longer hours, caring for more patients with fewer resources. And it hurts patients, who are forced to make complicated medical decisions without basic information about their conditions and options."
To improve quality, Clinton said she would promote physician certification programs that help doctors keep up with the latest advancements in their fields by increasing Medicare reimbursements for doctors who participate in them. Nursing care would get a boost in the form of $300 million to expand enrollment in nursing schools, create mentoring programs for recent graduates and recruit more minorities into the profession.
"The nursing shortage has become a nursing crisis, and that means it is a crisis for everyone," Clinton said. "Our nurses are truly the eyes and ears, and in many ways the heart and soul of our health care system. When we've got fewer nurses, working longer hours and serving more patients, the result can be worse outcomes."
Patients, too, can play a role in improving the quality of health care they receive, she said, if they were given more information about their treatment options. She praised Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Center for Shared Decision Making, saying she would like to see similar programs nationwide.
Clinton also called for overhauling a reimbursement system that she said often punishes doctors for doing the right thing -- spending time with patients or working with their colleagues to take a collaborative approach. She proposes higher payments to providers who use teams to provide coordinated care and ending payments for preventable infections and injuries sustained during hospital stays.
"We need a system that encourages instead of discourages quality," she said.
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YOUR COMMENTS
Bob from Dover makes such an eloquent point that I fear to refute him! But I'll try. Bob, why is it that the government shouldn't be in the healthcare business?
Medicare spends only 8 cents on the dollar in carrying costs. Private health insurance companies spend 4 times that (hey, those beautiful skyscrapers cost a lot of money!) The most that the head of a government agency can make is less than 200,000 dollars. The CEO of a healthcare company can expect at least 10 times that amount...in salary alone. This is an instance where the government can provide the service for a lot less money. To me the arguement comes down to this; should the health of its citizens be a for profit enterprise??? I think not. The government is 'of the people, by the people, and for the people." In other words, Bob, the government is US. Basic health insurance seems to be perfectly inline with the Republicans' dream of a "mobile workforce." One of the biggest fears that most people have when it comes to losing a job, is losing health insurance coverage. People like Bob from Dover love to talk the talk about self-reliance. But I am willing to bet that I could point out a vast array of services that the government provides to good old, self-reliant Dover Bob. My guess is that Bobby works in the insurance industry. (He seems to have no problem with private insurers rationing health care and fleecing customers.)
- Bob, Bedford
How true! CS, the government, especially the Democrats ( Clinton) want the general population to be depended upon them, they want to keep the peopleus like victims, so they can continue to think they are useful. They are worthless and more and more it is becoming evident, if only more realized that...(oh, that's right, I think people enjoy feeling like victims! )
- Bob, Dover, NH
I am so tired of the gorvernment coming in and taking over what should be the responsibility of the individual. Sen. CLinton said that she wants a federal plan that is for "educating patients". People need to educate themselves. The same is true for the mortgage industry. People need to take the initiative wo understand their rights, and the way things work. If a person invests in the stock market and loses everything it is their responsibility. The government should only protect people from unethical practices-lying on an application, etc. Other than that it should be buyer beware.
- cs, bedford
Please tell us Mrs Clinton, why did you fail before? And, what makes us think you will not fail again? Fool me once, your fault, fool me twice, my fault.
- Mike, Lee, NH
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