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First 100 Days: Day 9 - Of Cocktails and Cocksuckers

2456768

Posts

  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Frankly, I don't think he's going to get much done today.

    I heard he's going clubbing or barhopping or something until the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    That's pretty much what he promised in the campaign, isn't it? Not even universal healthcare, just expansion of government aid.

    Congress is pushing him left, which is weird to say, but true.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • TachTach Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I hope he goes dancing through DC, straight to the White House, with his magical Change Power, Captain Eo style.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBeD1L_nd4

    Tach on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal Health Insurance will help alleviate the economic crisis for businesses. It's going to happen. Not necessarily in the first 100 days, but in the first year or two.

    moniker on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Does anyone else agree that the "First 100 Days" thing is the most ridiculous standard possible for evaluating a president? If people are judging Obama by how much has changed by May 1, then he's going to be viewed as a total failure.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    I just don't think it's going to fly politically, with all of the other spending he's going to have to be doing.

    OremLK on
    My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Drez wrote: »
    Frankly, I don't think he's going to get much done today.

    I heard he's going clubbing or barhopping or something until the wee hours of tomorrow morning.
    Then he's going to bang his wife. If being inaugurated isn't reason enough, nothing is.


    Say I'm the President! Say it!



    Oooooh, you're the President!

    matt has a problem on
    nibXTE7.png
  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    That addresses the one huge problem of people not getting preventive care and putting it on emergency rooms instead.

    Obama's also going to need to address doctor pay incentives, which means fighting one hell of a lobby. We'll save money if doctors can actually be bothered to first prescribe statin drugs to patients with heart disease before going straight to surgery.

    Septus on
    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    I just don't think it's going to fly politically, with all of the other spending he's going to have to be doing.

    Obama has a ton of power right now. He's overwhelmingly popular, the public feels like he has a mandate for dramatic change. For a little while he can ram damn near anything he wants through Congress. And of course, if you reform health care to make it cheaper, you're saving so much money down the line it's ridiculous and he knows that and more importantly has the ability (and goodwill) to make that argument to the American people.

    Also, most of the important reforms can be paid for by withdrawing from Iraq.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • GooeyGooey (\/)┌¶─¶┐(\/) pinch pinchRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I'm already first-black-president-ed out. I really hope the talking heads get over it sometime in the next 4 years.

    Gooey on
    919UOwT.png
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Septus wrote: »
    Obama's also going to need to address doctor pay incentives, which means fighting one hell of a lobby. We'll save money if doctors can actually be bothered to first prescribe statin drugs to patients with heart disease before going straight to surgery.

    Buh? Is that really a widespread problem?

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    In reality for true universal healthcare we'd be best off shaving 10% off the military budget

    nexuscrawler on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »
    Does anyone else agree that the "First 100 Days" thing is the most ridiculous standard possible for evaluating a president? If people are judging Obama by how much has changed by May 1, then he's going to be viewed as a total failure.

    That's not what the first 100 days represents. It's the amount of action taken by him and the Congress ala FDR. Nobody thinks everything is going to be great come April 30th, but they do expect a lot of shit to have begun or get created between now and then.

    moniker on
  • JacobkoshJacobkosh Gamble a stamp. I can show you how to be a real man!Moderator mod
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Presidents - especially ones armed with a sympathetic legislature - can do quite a bit with the economy, actually. And Obama has the second half of the bailout package to disburse, and how that is done will help set the climate for years to come.

    And no, despite what the droolers on network news say, health care reform cannot wait until things are humming along again. It's needed right now more than ever. Have you ever heard of human capital?

    Jacobkosh on
    rRwz9.gif
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO LET OUT A SILENT BUT DEADLY DURING INAUGURATION!

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • muninnmuninn Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Too bad that obviously the privacy laws are not on his list of top priorities.
    /bellyache

    muninn on
  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    I just don't think it's going to fly politically, with all of the other spending he's going to have to be doing.

    Obama has a ton of power right now. He's overwhelmingly popular, the public feels like he has a mandate for dramatic change. For a little while he can ram damn near anything he wants through Congress.
    Yeah, we all saw how well that worked out with Bush. Might /= right.

    matt has a problem on
    nibXTE7.png
  • GooeyGooey (\/)┌¶─¶┐(\/) pinch pinchRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Feral wrote: »
    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO LET OUT A SILENT BUT DEADLY DURING INAUGURATION!

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO KISS HANDS AND SHAKE BABIES

    Gooey on
    919UOwT.png
  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    I just don't think it's going to fly politically, with all of the other spending he's going to have to be doing.

    Obama has a ton of power right now. He's overwhelmingly popular, the public feels like he has a mandate for dramatic change. For a little while he can ram damn near anything he wants through Congress. And of course, if you reform health care to make it cheaper, you're saving so much money down the line it's ridiculous and he knows that and more importantly has the ability (and goodwill) to make that argument to the American people.

    Also, most of the important reforms can be paid for by withdrawing from Iraq.

    Not if he does as promised and diverts many of those troops back to Afghanistan. I agree he has a lot of political capital right now, but I'm not sure he's going to be so quick to spend it on this.

    OremLK on
    My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    I just don't think it's going to fly politically, with all of the other spending he's going to have to be doing.

    Obama has a ton of power right now. He's overwhelmingly popular, the public feels like he has a mandate for dramatic change. For a little while he can ram damn near anything he wants through Congress.
    Yeah, we all saw how well that worked out with Bush. Might /= right.

    I was referring to the "fly politically" argument, not anything about moral good or things like that.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Gooey wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO LET OUT A SILENT BUT DEADLY DURING INAUGURATION!

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO KISS HANDS AND SHAKE BABIES

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO RUB ONE OUT BETWEEN MEETINGS IN THE OVAL OFFICE

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    The initial agenda should be (and I think will be) two-pronged: Immediately required initiatives - largely the economy - and massively supported legislation.

    The economy has to be his initial focus. Getting the stimulus bill done quickly maximizes how much of the downturn it can head off and he has the support to get it done. Similarly, he can start detailing the withdrawal from Iraq immediately, even if the withdrawal itself will take ~18 months.

    At the same time, he can move forward on some ideas with Major support. Repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell is supported by 75% of the population. By pushing through popular legislation, Obama will solidify his initially extremely high numbers and undercut later claims that he's "the most liberal President since X."
    Qingu wrote: »
    I'm not TOO concerned about this, but I am curious to see how Obama deals with the #1 proposal on change.gov—decriminalization/legalization of marijuana.

    He's said he's not for either throughout the campaign and transition, but then he also said the whole purpose of change.gov is to provide a platform for public initiatives.

    Not to get back on this, but its a position opposed by a sizable majority including Obama himself, and its something that shouldn't even approach priority.

    PantsB on
    11793-1.png
    day9gosu.png
    QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    variant wrote: »
    I'd imagine his first term would look something this:

    Revitalizing the Economy
    Ending the War in Iraq
    Providing Health Care for All

    Point B, at least. The economy will have to revitalize itself, and universal health care isn't going to happen during his first term, not with the aforementioned economic crisis going on.

    Universal health care is a big step towards revitalizing the economy though. Like, if Ford/GM/Chrysler didn't have to pay so much for their employee's (and former employee's) health care, they wouldn't be broke.

    I just don't think it's going to fly politically, with all of the other spending he's going to have to be doing.

    Obama has a ton of power right now. He's overwhelmingly popular, the public feels like he has a mandate for dramatic change. For a little while he can ram damn near anything he wants through Congress. And of course, if you reform health care to make it cheaper, you're saving so much money down the line it's ridiculous and he knows that and more importantly has the ability (and goodwill) to make that argument to the American people.

    Also, most of the important reforms can be paid for by withdrawing from Iraq.

    Not if he does as promised and diverts many of those troops back to Afghanistan. I agree he has a lot of political capital right now, but I'm not sure he's going to be so quick to spend it on this.

    If you read between the lines from the transition stuff, it looks like it's become the #1 domestic priority. There's a reason he got a former majority leader to be Secretary of HHS, and it wasn't to run HHS. Energy is now #2.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • GooeyGooey (\/)┌¶─¶┐(\/) pinch pinchRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Feral wrote: »
    Gooey wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO LET OUT A SILENT BUT DEADLY DURING INAUGURATION!

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO KISS HANDS AND SHAKE BABIES

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO RUB ONE OUT BETWEEN MEETINGS IN THE OVAL OFFICE

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO DROP A DEUCE IN AIR FORCE ONE

    Gooey on
    919UOwT.png
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Gooey wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    Gooey wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO LET OUT A SILENT BUT DEADLY DURING INAUGURATION!

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO KISS HANDS AND SHAKE BABIES

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO RUB ONE OUT BETWEEN MEETINGS IN THE OVAL OFFICE

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO DROP A DEUCE IN AIR FORCE ONE

    FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT TO ENGENDER A BIZARRE AND SLIGHTLY CREEPY OBSESSION WITH HIS BODILY FUNCTIONS ON THE INTERNET

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Feral wrote: »
    Septus wrote: »
    Obama's also going to need to address doctor pay incentives, which means fighting one hell of a lobby. We'll save money if doctors can actually be bothered to first prescribe statin drugs to patients with heart disease before going straight to surgery.

    Buh? Is that really a widespread problem?

    Not that I'm incredibly well versed on the subject, but a major problem with the medical industry in general is that the profit motive is terrible at preventative care. Doctors tend to be motivated to "do a procedure", because they get cash for it. This also means that your average GP gets paid not-too-well even though they're the most efficient way of treating many health issues, while the dude specializing in stomach stapling has 15 houses.

    Also, there are some absolutely insane payment issues with psychiatric problems. Treating depression pays half what treating "chronic headaches" does.

    durandal4532 on
    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    If you read between the lines from the transition stuff, it looks like it's become the #1 domestic priority. There's a reason he got a former majority leader to be Secretary of HHS, and it wasn't to run HHS. Energy is now #2.

    To do something, sure. But there's a big space between doing something and "government-paid healthcare for everyone!"

    OremLK on
    My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Feral wrote: »
    Septus wrote: »
    Obama's also going to need to address doctor pay incentives, which means fighting one hell of a lobby. We'll save money if doctors can actually be bothered to first prescribe statin drugs to patients with heart disease before going straight to surgery.

    Buh? Is that really a widespread problem?

    I believe so. Doctor's associations have all sorts of reasonable rules and procedure orders to follow, that presumably the member doctors agree to...and then they go ahead and throw those rules out the window and do whatever procedure they want and bill the insurance companies.

    They also don't have enough information, for when they're actually trying to do the right thing. Despite medical records supposedly being transferred to each provider, doctors often don't know every other treatment that a patient is receiving, or has received in the past, so they don't know the whole picture and can't prescribe the best treatment which will lead to higher costs.

    Changes to address these problems seem like they would be a lot cheaper than expanding Medicaid eligibility, but would very hard to get passed.

    Septus on
    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    If you read between the lines from the transition stuff, it looks like it's become the #1 domestic priority. There's a reason he got a former majority leader to be Secretary of HHS, and it wasn't to run HHS. Energy is now #2.

    To do something, sure. But there's a big space between doing something and "government-paid healthcare for everyone!"

    Well, it's more government subsidies and guaranteed access to health care for everyone.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    If you read between the lines from the transition stuff, it looks like it's become the #1 domestic priority. There's a reason he got a former majority leader to be Secretary of HHS, and it wasn't to run HHS. Energy is now #2.

    To do something, sure. But there's a big space between doing something and "government-paid healthcare for everyone!"

    Did you not pay attention to his Universal Health Insurance proposals at all? I mean, you've had 2 years...

    moniker on
  • tallgeezetallgeeze Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I heard on the news this morning that Bush left Obama a note in the presidential desk. What cool shit did Bush tell him about I wonder.

    I bet he told him to be wary of the pretzels they give him.

    tallgeeze on
  • JulianvonRoseJulianvonRose Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Well I voted for him I just hope my oh so important vote was the right one. I'm pretty happy with the way the inaguration went, the poem was a bit... odd. And I know everyone is tired of the whole "first black president" thing but lets face it, its kinda a big deal and we'll be hearing it for like ever. But what would really suck is if he was a bad president... I can hear the black comedians now.

    JulianvonRose on
  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    I heard on the news this morning that Bush left Obama a note in the presidential desk. What cool shit did Bush tell him about I wonder.

    I bet he told him to be wary of the pretzels they give him.

    'tacos rule'

    Local H Jay on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Septus wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    Septus wrote: »
    Obama's also going to need to address doctor pay incentives, which means fighting one hell of a lobby. We'll save money if doctors can actually be bothered to first prescribe statin drugs to patients with heart disease before going straight to surgery.

    Buh? Is that really a widespread problem?

    I believe so. Doctor's associations have all sorts of reasonable rules and procedure orders to follow, that presumably the member doctors agree to...and then they go ahead and throw those rules out the window and do whatever procedure they want and bill the insurance companies.

    Okay. I think I see what you're saying. I just think I reacted to heart surgery specifically because heart surgery may have been a bad example... that's a high-risk surgery and a low-risk and popular class of drugs.
    Septus wrote: »
    They also don't have enough information, for when they're actually trying to do the right thing. Despite medical records supposedly being transferred to each provider, doctors often don't know every other treatment that a patient is receiving, or has received in the past, so they don't know the whole picture and can't prescribe the best treatment which will lead to higher costs.

    Changes to address these problems seem like they would be a lot cheaper than expanding Medicaid eligibility, but would very hard to get passed.

    Well, it's easier to get doctors and hospitals to comply with new procedures when they're getting government dollars. You probably can't pass a law that says "You need to adopt a standardized electronic medical record system." But you can expand Medicaid and Medicare and then say, "If you want to keep sucking on the government's teat, you need to adopt a Medicaid/Medicare-compatible EMR system." Then all the big hospitals adopt compatible systems, and smaller clinics and private practices start to see that trading records with the big hospitals is easier if they hop on the bandwagon too.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    I heard on the news this morning that Bush left Obama a note in the presidential desk. What cool shit did Bush tell him about I wonder.

    I bet he told him to be wary of the pretzels they give him.

    I figure it was about the dead aliens they have stashed at Area 51.

    OremLK on
    My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
  • Armored GorillaArmored Gorilla Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    CNN's front page political ticker link says that a GOP Senator is blocking clinton's nomination, but there's nothing on the ticker page itself and the Senate doesn't convene until 3.

    I am confused.

    Armored Gorilla on
    "I'm a mad god. The Mad God, actually. It's a family title. Gets passed down from me to myself every few thousand years."
  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Feral wrote: »
    Septus wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    Septus wrote: »
    Obama's also going to need to address doctor pay incentives, which means fighting one hell of a lobby. We'll save money if doctors can actually be bothered to first prescribe statin drugs to patients with heart disease before going straight to surgery.

    Buh? Is that really a widespread problem?

    I believe so. Doctor's associations have all sorts of reasonable rules and procedure orders to follow, that presumably the member doctors agree to...and then they go ahead and throw those rules out the window and do whatever procedure they want and bill the insurance companies.

    Okay. I think I see what you're saying. I just think I reacted to heart surgery specifically because heart surgery may have been a bad example... that's a high-risk surgery and a low-risk and popular class of drugs.
    Septus wrote: »
    They also don't have enough information, for when they're actually trying to do the right thing. Despite medical records supposedly being transferred to each provider, doctors often don't know every other treatment that a patient is receiving, or has received in the past, so they don't know the whole picture and can't prescribe the best treatment which will lead to higher costs.

    Changes to address these problems seem like they would be a lot cheaper than expanding Medicaid eligibility, but would very hard to get passed.

    Well, it's easier to get doctors and hospitals to comply with new procedures when they're getting government dollars. You probably can't pass a law that says "You need to adopt a standardized electronic medical record system." But you can expand Medicaid and Medicare and then say, "If you want to keep sucking on the government's teat, you need to adopt a Medicaid/Medicare-compatible EMR system." Then all the big hospitals adopt compatible systems, and smaller clinics and private practices start to see that trading records with the big hospitals is easier if they hop on the bandwagon too.

    I used that example because that's the one that was used to explain to me, and I'm sure that it happens.

    You could make that mandate to the doctors who want to keep sucking at the teat, problem is most doctors don't accept Medicaid, or only up to some minority percentage of their patient base, and doctors who accept it are slowly dropping off.

    Septus on
    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    I heard on the news this morning that Bush left Obama a note in the presidential desk. What cool shit did Bush tell him about I wonder.

    I bet he told him to be wary of the pretzels they give him.

    I figure it was about the dead aliens they have stashed at Area 51.

    Damn illegal Mexicans.

    Gabriel_Pitt on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Septus wrote: »
    You could make that mandate to the doctors who want to keep sucking at the teat, problem is most doctors don't accept Medicaid, or only up to some minority percentage of their patient base, and doctors who accept it are slowly dropping off.

    Right. That'll have to change if the middle class starts to move away from private employer-paid insurance and onto public coverage.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
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