Physicians speak out on healthcare — True North Reports

Many Vermonters believe the notion that the Legislature (via Act 48) and the appointed five member Health Care Board have a plan for health care reform that will offer better access and reduce costs.

They have few believers in the medical community as evidenced by the comments of the providers in this forum held recently in Rutland.

The business community also expressed deep concerns at a recent public hearing on H.559 that their costs would rise dramatically under Vermont's proposal and they don't believe the propaganda given the dearth of information on costs and coverage plans compared to today's environment.

"The strong need to contain healthcare costs was addressed. Dr. Susan Blish and other physicians voiced concerns that if patients gain easier access to health care services, but don’t share more responsibility for both healthy living and cost-containment, then how can we expect to keep costs under control. Dr Mel Boynton endorsed consumer-driven health care as a means to better engage patients in controlling health care costs and several physicians voiced that health savings accounts (HSAs) were a good vehicle for patient involvement in cost control."

My contention remains: There is no way to control health care costs except by rationing of services to recipients in an environment with universal access and little responsibility on the part of people who receive care. No rhetoric has convinced me otherwise. Yet, rationing is not part of the debate...and it should be.