NHS being revamped, is Obamacare next?

Bad news for Obamacare. The Obama/Pelosi/Reed health care monstrosity based on the British National Health System, ready by nobody and passed by Congress in the middle of the night in spite of opposition by 67 percent of voters, needs major revision if not outright rejection. It seems the Brits have finally realized that something needs to be done to make their plan feasible and cost-effective.

British Health Secretary Andrew Lansley outlined to the House of Commons on July 7, 2010, plans to totally revamp their universal public health program. (The speech videotaped by The Daily Telegraphy was online July 8.) It took 62 years for the government to get religion, e.g. politicians and bureaucrats are not as good doctoring patients as real doctors. And the real doctors are most cost-effective than politicians Therefore, the local doctor groups will be in charge of the financing locally and the bloated non-productive bureaucrats will be mostly eliminated. “Tens of thousands of administrative jobs in health service will be lost.” Government control of medicine is “stultifying.” Bottom up care will now be “by professionals and not politicians.” British medicine needs to bring up outcomes and care at least to a par with their neighbors. Yes, all those things were said by Mr. Lansley. Why now? It seems the government is broke and medical care is not up to snuff.

These improvements have been proposed in the past, but surprise, surprise, the unions and vested interests (read lobbyists) successfully fought the needed improvements. Stand by for updates, especially before the November elections.

PETER D. HERAPER, (M.D., retired)

Sandpoint