On Thursday, President Obama announced his $3.6 trillion budget plan for the 2010 fiscal year. The plan would create a “health care reserve” costing $634 billion over 10 years, in an effort to provide universal health coverage. Tax increases and cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would fund the reserve.
According to the plan, increased spending on insuring all Americans upfront will save money in the long run, because patients will seek out care and engage in preventative measures to reduce the occurrence of chronic (and often costly) diseases.
The proposed plan would seek to control imaging costs through the use of radiology benefit management companies in the Medicare program. The ACR, however, has argued that the use of Appropriateness Criteria in an order entry system is a better way to monitor imaging, and ensures that patients receive the best study for their condition in a timely manner.
Other health care measures in the plan include:
- $1 billion to the FDA to improve food safety
- $6 billion for cancer research
- $76.8 billion toward EMR adoption and medical treatment comparison
- $330 million toward addressing doctor and nurse shortages
What do you think about the budget plan in terms of health care reform?
What do you think are the strengths and shortcomings of the plan?
I look forward to your comments.
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