Dollars and Sense

Chip Hart brings up some good points on his blog regarding the arguments against a single-payer concept (he’s not for a single-payer system, by the way). More practicality, less ideology. Incidentally, he’s also posted the dates set for the 2010 PCC User Conference, being held in Vermont. If you use PedSource practice management software, you can visit the conference website here.

In additional news, last week the Senate passed H.R. 4213, giving physicians some breathing space with a seven month extension of the 2009 Medicaid fee schedule. The AMA responded by strongly encouraging Congress to fix the SGR formula before the extension expires on October 1, 2010.

So with green in mind, celebrate being in the middle of a week with good potential. Slainte!

Let’s all look for the luck of the Irish as we watch visible pushes toward better nutrition and healthcare for the nation’s children this week. Kudos to Dr. Palfrey for her statement — I know that the AAP has expressed disappointment in recent years regarding inadequate federal support for uninsured children, and while I acknowledge with everyone else that the current legislation is far from perfect, it is certainly a step. Even Kuchinich is on board now, a good sign we may see something finally happen.