John Edwards: Where is he getting all these gen pracs?

[Vanquisher]

It all sounds good in theory, but I hate John Edwards too much to endorse anything he has to say.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: John Edwards: Where is he getting all these gen pracs?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070902/...l_pr/edwards_2

"If you are going to be in the system, you can't choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure that you are OK."

Edwards said his mandatory health care plan would cover preventive, chronic and long-term health care. The plan would include mental health care as well as dental and vision coverage for all Americans.


Edwards said his plan would cost up to $120 billion a year, a cost he proposes covering by ending President Bush's tax cuts to people who make more than $200,000 per year.

I understand his idea and while I agree that preventive care is in everyone's best interest, I'm not sure how this would be mandated, where he's going to get all of these doctors, and how the medical offices, staff, other overhead, and doctors would all be paid.

Thoughts?

The premise is screwed. How is everyone going to get "in the system"? Are we a police state where if we don't go to yearly exams with a GP we will have to pay a fee? And if you "opt out" of being in the system, what happens in the case of an emergency.

Not to mention that the funding for it is messed up. Everyone wants to pay for everything with the $ from those richies making more that 200K. Who in turn won't invest, etc., etc.

[Rapunzel]

What this reminded me of is that mammograms are already so poorly reimbursed by federal insurance and private insurance that the number of radiologists going into mammo (Women's Health) is dwindling. It's the one rads fellowship that anyone can easily get - because few want it. It's also a terrible time to be in mammography because of the skyhigh rate of malpractice suits. Essentially if you go into mammo as a radiologist - you're going to get sued by someone.

I'd like to know how he is going to attract more radiologists to mammography to make that essential part of preventative care more realistic to achieve for every woman.

P.S. - I would HATE, HATE, HATE to have been the radiologist who had to read his wife's mammograms. I would have been expecting a lawsuit at any moment from someone like him.

[Laker]

Government is already too big and inefficient. Show us that they can fix social security before taking on health care.

Edwards just wants to get more doctors in the system so that he can sue them all.