Issue #2 - Ensuring Quality Care for Medicare Patients

Currently, more that 42 million Americans age 65 or older who have disabilities receive Medicare benefits.  The problem with this is that for the past years health care expenses have soared.  This in tern has caused the federal spending dedicated to Medicare to rise dramatically.  Many policymakers agree that Medicare must be reformed if it is to remain solvent.  With the "baby boom" generation reaching retirement the program is expected to run out of money early in the century unless reforms are implemented.  The goal is to do this and still regulate and ensure the quality of care that Medicare patients are receiving.  The way things are now doctors get paid based on their quantity of services not the quality of those services.  In 2006 legislators approved a new "pay-for-performance" system that would allow Medicare to pay doctors a 1.5 percent bonus for providing good quality services.  Supporters of this want Medicare to reward doctors and hospitals for doing a good job.  Opponents of this policy say that the policy undermines doctors' autonomy and judgment in treating their patients.

I would have to agree with those that object to this piece of legislation.  Why should doctors be rewarded for doing a good job when it is exactly that, their job.  It their responsibility to treat patients to the best of their capability.  They take an oath that they will do this in their practice.  I believe that doctors shouldn't need a financial incentive to provide quality care to their patients.  If any other person wasn't preforming adequately at their job, would their boss wouldn't come up to them and say if you do a better job ill give you a bonus?  No way!  They would be fired.  So why should we do that for doctors.  After all we entrust them with the most precious thing we possess, our own lives.  And honestly how would government officials know what good health care really is?  I agree with Representative Pete Stark when he said federal officials "do not have the capability, the understanding, the knowledge, or the training" to set standards for the quality of medical care.  He is absolutely right.  The only way they would be qualified is if they were medical professionals.  Politicians aren't going to know the first thing about what proper medical care really is.  I mean, you don't go see your local Representative when you want a cure for your seasonal cold do you?

Issue #1 - Comprehensive vs. Incremental Health Care Reform

Issue #3 - Safe to Eat?