Every Patient's Advocate

The 2012 Elections and the Issue of Healthcare Reform

This column first appeared
in the Syracuse Post Standard
January 17, 2012

During both the 2008 and 2010 elections, the issue of reforming the American healthcare system was the focus of overwhelming amounts of misinformation and disinformation.

Remember the email about Senior Death Panels?  It explained that the healthcare reform bill would allow Medicare to save money by refusing to pay for lifesaving treatment for older Americans.  Of course, it wasn’t true.

Another email stated that the Muslim belief in dhimmitude (surrender or appeasement) would mean American Muslims would be allowed to opt-out of the mandatory insurance rule. Also untrue.

Both inflammatory statements were horribly upsetting!  But it wasn’t a huge leap to figure out who wanted us to believe them.

Now primary season is here again, and some candidates continue to focus on repealing the Affordable Care Act (healthcare reform).  Whether or not you believe healthcare reform should be the law of the land, you owe it to yourself, and those you influence, to separate facts from fiction.

If someone shares “facts” with you that seem inflammatory, upsetting or don’t make sense, then there may be something askew. It’s possible they are true. Or, they may be only partially true, subjective interpretations of the truth, or even out-and-out lies.

Three websites provide neutral, objective analyses of political statements for our review. The best way to determine the veracity of information about healthcare reform, or any other political statements, is to scrutinize them at one, two or all three sites.

One site is the Pulitzer Prize winning Politifact.com. Its “Truth-o-Meter” scores statements on a range from True, to Flip-Flop, to Pants-on-Fire, along with supporting documentation for how the score was determined.

Factcheck.org is provided by the Annenberg Public Policy Center.  One section focuses specifically on email rumors.  Another section examines statements made by candidates and their high-profile supporters  to establish their accuracy.

Finally, Snopes.com is a great resource, too. While it originally examined only urban legends, in recent years it has expanded into political claims as well.

If you see, hear or read a statement from any organization or individual during the election season or any other time, be sure to review it carefully before you share it with someone else.  You don’t want to foolishly believe things that aren’t true, nor do you want to share misinformation or disinformation with others.  Using one of these statement-auditing websites will help you sort out the real facts.

Here is more information about reviewing email claims:

 How to Confirm or Debunk Claims
Made in Email, Blogs or Social Media

From Conspiracy Theories to Bogus Claims
How Can You Ascertain the Truth?

Have you confirmed or debunked a political email claim?
Share your findings!

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Your Most Important Health Resolution for 2012

This column first appeared
in the Syracuse Post Standard
January 3, 2012

When considering health-related resolutions, you probably expect me to wax poetic on the virtue of losing weight or quitting smoking.  But no, this resolution actually trumps them both.

Perhaps the most important health resolution you can make for 2012 is to establish a strong relationship with a primary care provider (PCP). Even if you think you already have the best PCP in the world, you’ll want to read on – because that relationship could change.

There are three reasons you must establish or reinforce a primary care relationship in 2012.

1.    Fewer Doctors
The number of primary care doctors is dwindling and practices are changing.  Doctors are aging into retirement, or leaving their practices due to frustrations with the healthcare system. Because fewer medical students are choosing primary care, those vacancies aren’t being filled.  In addition, some doctors will stop accepting certain types of insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. Others are joining forces to establish larger, less personal practices.

2.    Healthcare Reform
In 2014, when the biggest portion of the Affordable Care Act kicks in, there will be 32 million new Americans with insurance, and newfound access to healthcare. For some, it will be the first time in their adult lives they’ve been able to afford care.

3.    More Older Patients
As baby boomers age, they will need more care, more often than when they were younger. Further, they are living longer than previous generations, so they’ll need medical services longer, too.

Bottom line – a year or more from now, the competition will be fierce.  All those aging baby boomers, plus those 32 million new patients will need to be absorbed by a dwindling number of primary care doctors. After 2012, it may be impossible for you to find a PCP who is accepting new patients.

Thus – an important resolution!  As best you can, think beyond 2012 and what your medical needs may be. If you don’t have a primary care doctor, find one.  If you have one, but you haven’t seen her in more than a year, then visit her before she decides to drop you from her patient roster. If you have a PCP, but you aren’t happy with the relationship, then make a change in 2012, before it’s too late. If you like your doctor, then ask questions about insurance coverage or practice changes, and then make adjustments if necessary.

That’s a New Year Resolution worth keeping.

Here is more information about finding a primary care doctor:

The Shortage of Primary Care Doctors

Finding Dr. Right

How to Decide Whether to Change Doctors

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