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Obama Health Care Battles, Meet Robert “Bob” McCann, a doctor and an Attorney

Posted Sep 6, 2009 by Al Mccray

Updated Sep 6, 2009 at 04:49 PM

Let’s see what another medical doctor has to say about the healthcare debate and Obama Care. But, and I say but, ... Doc McCann is also an attorney.  He has a views from both sides of the
doctor / attorney debate.  How interesting his life must be ?

Dr. Robert McCann, DO &  Attorney

Robert “Bob” McCann serves as an emergency room physician in Hillsborough County/ Tampa, Florida. He is also a practicing attorney.
 
He was on two short-lists finalist for U.S. Surgeon General in 2001 and for U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health in 2007 under the administration of President George W. Bush.

Dr. McCann says,  “Obama Care: The Most Expensive Health Care You Will Never Get!

No doubt all Americans want something done to help those who could not afford health care coverage but wanted coverage. After all, no American would not want something done for those with catastrophic illnesses who cannot get coverage, and to protect the elderly who faced losing all their assets because they suffered from Alzheimer’s, children who cannot care for themselves, veterans who are disabled and the truly poor who cannot afford coverage. However, the current Administration is “creating a crisis” that only the government can fix. NOT!

Is lack of coverage really at “crisis levels”?

According to Census Bureau data more than 84 percent (250.4 million) of U.S. residents were privately insured or enrolled in a government health program, such as Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (S-CHIP). That leaves approximately 47 million uninsured. Let’s analyze that 47 million:
• Immigrants. About 12.6 million foreign-born residents lack health coverage -accounting for 27 percent of the uninsured. Illegal immigrants do not qualify for public health insurance until they become legal residents.
• About 19 million 18-to-34-year olds are uninsured. Using hard earned dollars to buy insurance is a low priority for this age group.
• Nearly 18 million of the uninsured live in households with annual incomes above $50,000 and could likely afford health insurance.
Given the data from the census bureau, 94 percent of United States residents either have health coverage or access to it. However, if it were reported that way, the government would not be able to show a “crisis” or the need for their version of “reform”.
What is Obama Care?

Obama Care is not reform, it is nationalized health care, plain and simple.  A one sized fits all program. It will lead to the government calling the health care shots, which means the eventual death of the medical private sector. Access to care, the type of care, when you receive the care, and the government will determine all the Doctor you see.

Universal health care would drive our country deeper in debt. It is not free! Many European countries and Canada pay a very high percentage of their income (up to 70%) for access to rationed care- in some of these countries people are excluded from care. The elderly are prepared to die, there is an emphasis on end of life care and palliative care. Diabetics with end organ failure or kidney patients are not entitled to dialysis- a life saving relatively inexpensive procedure. They, too, regardless of age are prepared to die. People in need of elective surgery are put on lists, and if they are still acceptable candidates, they will get surgery when their number is called. The government determines what is appropriate and what care you will get.

Recent headlines show an alarming insight into Obama Care- ‘Cruel and neglectful’ care of one million NHS patients exposed; UK HEALTH CARE: ‘Clearly there is systemic failure’... Canada’s top doctor: Health care system ‘imploding’... ‘We all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize’...
Why Government Control is not the answer!

If Obama wanted to improve upon the health care system, he could address Medicare and Medicaid fraud, Doctor malpractice insurance rates, and multimillion-dollar settlements that line the pockets of lawyers, and the fact that patients are obtaining care in the wrong forum.

Without tort reform, medical care costs will continue to rise and there will be less access to care.  Defensive medicine is expensive as is the wrong forum for care. Many recipients of government benefits have primary care physicians assigned; yet they go to the emergency room for convenience or to avoid a co-pay. Many patients that I have asked had no concept that the cost of their common cold now cost the government in excess of $500, instead of the $50 (or the negotiated fee usually pays a Doctor who accepts assignment less than $15) that could have been paid to their primary care physician.

With proper education from the Administration and health care professionals as to what constitutes an emergency, urgency, or what is clearly not emergent, millions of dollars could be saved and proper health care necessary to protect the public health and safety could be accomplished in the proper forum. In the primary care office, not the emergency room, continuity of care can be given and prevention could be addressed so as to avoid the pitfalls and the costs of catastrophic care. “People need to know—they have a right to know—the cost of their care and the quality of the care.”

Under Obama Care, the government will predetermine your quality and the care you actually receive.

In addition, the Administration could work to stop illegal immigration and the giveaway of our current health care system. It could deregulate insurance plans to allow for affordable plans that are attractive to the young and healthy. It could promote public health and preventative medicine.

Finally, the government is an unfair competitor of the private market and the most inefficient spender of your hard earned dollars. Doctors and patients are better at making their health care decisions without third party interference. The more power the government takes upon itself, the less effective it becomes, and the less free its citizens become. Individual responsibility and market based solutions are the key to cost control”.

Wow, Doc McCann certainly had plenty to say.