Highway Robbery on the Health Train

Willie Sutton, a notorious bank robber was asked, “Willy, why do you rob banks?” Willy replied, “’Cause that’s where the money is” The WSJ blog recently ran a survey about how primary care funding can be increased.  The survey can be seen here. The comments I made, The poll results are most interesting, revealing a fairly even split across the board. This reflects the confusion, and disparate remedies proposed to ’save primary care and health care in general. It also tells the tale that there is no easy solution, at all. Money does not tell the entire story about primary cares negative features. I lay the entire blame on government and insurers. When CLIA came along 20 years ago many physician labs were put out of business, an important...

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The Life of Health Train Express

For almost five years now I have been blogging at this site. It has been very enjoyable. And no, this is not a farewell post, nor an explanation that I am too busy, or bored with it all. Writing is a passion for some people, and computers and the internet give us all a new tool for creativity, networking and publication without all the hoo-ha of a formal writer’s or author’s support group, agents, publicists, book tours,  etc etc. I have mined more from this experience, as most blogger’s have, than what I have contributed with my little blog espousing my small opinions from my perspective as a grass roots doctor. I have written the blog with few comments made by readers, however for me it is not all about how many ‘hits’ nor comments I get.  I have refrained from ‘monetizing’...

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Inaugural Train Express

    The Health Train Express joins the Obama entrance into Washington, D.C. for the beginning of a new era for the United States of America. I must confess, I was not a big Obama supporter, with many doubts about the man.  I may have been wrong.  His campaign rhetoric seems distant from his early administrative proclamations.  What does the new administration bode for us in medicine?  We have seen countless new administrations telling  us now is the time to adopt universal health care.  Congress has never agreed on how to attain that goal, either due to the fact that the devil is in the details, or a lack of conviction that it is correct to do for the United States. I leave it at this.  “God...

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Health Train Express Dining Car..."Caramel Macchiato Anyone?"

QUOTES TO MUSIC  (click to listen) My ego has been inflated (more than usual) by inclusion of Health Train Express in Richard Reece's  700th blog.   This for me is akin to making "Oprahs"  list of books to be read before "End times". Matt Holt's recent "WONK" summarizes Dr Reeces' consistent eloquence in each of his blogs.  Medinnovation is always a 'must read' and deserves a spot in your "feeds list".  Richard"s  blog and Matt's "The Health Care Blog"  are right up there with my "Carmel Macchiato at Starbucks !!! While the holiday season was ongoing this "west coast ophthalmologist" has relocated to a secret undisclosed location on the "Mid-Atlantic" coast. I decided to change risk factors...

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Health Train Express--The New Engineer

Tom Daschle appears headed toward an easy confirmation as the head honcho at Health and Human Services, where he would oversee the FDA, Medicare and the NIH. Today, he had a friendly hearing before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee  He is no stranger to the hall of congress, and most legislators will be very comfortable with him as the  point man, bully pulpit for health reform. His early pronouncements offer no new panacea, however he does espouse the new politically correct  illusion of "transparency" Daschle cataloged a bunch of problems with the health system, from the “unacceptable” figure of nearly 46 million uninsured to a “loss of confidence” in the FDA. He of course pledged to work on these...

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Critical

2009 brings nothing new in health care.  Tom Daschle invited me to hold a group meeting t several weeks ago to discuss what is on the minds of the country ( a kind of town meeting forum) and present a group consensus of what should be done to reform health care and health care financing. Today I received an email from him requesting my report, in a survey form.    Dear Gary, Over the past two weeks, thousands of people representing all 50 states and every corner of the country have hosted health care discussions in their homes and communities. Just this week, I attended a discussion hosted by the Fire Department in Dublin, Indiana, and one hosted by a Senior Wellness Center in Southeast Washington, D.C. Leading your...

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