Alexander Stemer, MD, President & CEO of Medical Specialists Centers of Indiana, comments on healthcare reform legislation and what it will mean for physicians and patients in Indiana and across the country.
Munster, IN (PRWEB) June 30, 2010 -- In March of this year, The House of Representatives – after months of discussion and debate – passed a sweeping $940 billion healthcare reform bill into law. Some call this legislation historical, some call it controversial, but one thing everyone agrees on is that it will dramatically change the United States healthcare system. Alexander Stemer, MD (http://www.medspecindiana.com), is one of the Indiana physicians questioning whether or not these changes are actually an improvement.
Diminished Quality of Care
Dr. Stemer points out that, in his region, most residents currently seem to enjoy top quality health care. During his three-decade medical career in Northwest Indiana, the availability and quality of medical care has improved dramatically. The number of doctors tripled, four new hospitals were built, and older hospitals were renovated. In 1977, vital services like cancer treatment, open heart surgery, cardiac rehabilitation and kidney dialysis were unavailable in most local hospitals. Today, these services are plentiful. He fears that the new system may jeopardize all of the progress that has been made in healthcare for Indiana and the rest of the country.
 Dr. Stemer believes that, while the lives of some will be improved, many people will see a decline in the quality of care they receive. 
|
Increased Costs to Patients
While the costs of providing medical care have gone up dramatically, fees doctors are paid for office services have not gone up in years. Secretary Sebelius of the United States Department of Health and Human Services has predicted these rates will remain unchanged for another 10 years. Dr. Stemer believes that, as a result, the best and busiest physicians will be forced to charge for services such as returning phone calls, calling in prescriptions, and patient education.
He also foresees an increase in prescription drug costs for most Americans, stating that "Although the 'doughnut hole' for Medicare patients will be closed, saving older people money on medications, everybody else will actually pay more because the federal government has agreed not to negotiate drug prices with drug companies."
In addition, Dr. Stemer cautions that the cost of health insurance will rise for many. "Removing restrictions on pre-existing conditions will cause non-smokers to pay for the cancers of smokers, non-alcoholics to pay for the liver transplants of alcoholics, and thin people pay for the diseases of obese people. With car insurance, good drivers pay less than bad drivers, but this is not the case with the new health insurance. People who could not get insurance before will be happier, but people who had insurance will suffer."
Dr. Stemer, like most physicians, supports providing healthcare to all Americans. Unfortunately, the new legislation will increase costs and make it more difficult for patients who currently have insurance to receive care.
Dr. Alexander Stemer (http://www.medspecindiana.com) is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, and is the President and CEO of Medical Specialists Centers of Indiana. He completed medical school at the University of Illinois School of Medicine, and both his residency and fellowship at the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, IL. He founded Medical Specialists Centers of Indiana with the vision of providing university-level healthcare to Northwest Indiana.
If you would like to learn more about healthcare in Indiana, or schedule an appointment at one of our centers, please contact us online or call 219-934-2495.
###
See Also:
- Virginia Firefighters Save Lives In Many Ways According to Sands Anderson Lawyers
- Weiss & Hiller, PC Settles First Reported Case in New York For Disability Benefits Arising from Bulimia
- Sealite Solar Marine Lights Are Now Available in Large Quantities for the BP Oil Spill
- Bobby Rettew, llc Partners with Sorenson Media to Offer Video Delivery for Mobile Market
- Net Lease Property Investors Increase Yield With Costa Rica Commercial Real Estate Investment Properties
[Via Legal / Law]
No comments:
Post a Comment