The main reason to withhold funding from the healthcare system is to destroy it. They will use excuses like pretending they are trying to improve it through some objective scoring. But in reality the hospitals that turn away or kick out sick patients will score better. In time those will no longer be hospitals but money transfer centers from taxpayers to obamacare political supporters. The old fashioned hospitals that quaintly keep trying to help people will be driven out of business by lack of payments. The Feds will take it all over eventually on the grounds that it failed even though they are the ones who will destroy it.
Palmer you could not be more wrong.
99% of Obamacare is about insurance, and they are doing it wrong.
the 1 or 2 % that is actually about medical care is pretty good. This will not “withhold” funding. It will direct the same funding to where it can do the best work.
For example, consider the Ebola guy in Texas. He showed up in the ER. He was “treated” and released. Then he showed up again. He was is misdiagnosed because the people treating him did not follow the specified procedure.
If this guy was on Medicare, these rules would NOT pay for their screw up. The first visit would be revoked. And they would not pay for the second visit, for the same issue, within 30 days.
Yes, that is an extreme example. But it points out the key points: They will pay for the care. But they will not pay for mistakes or incompetence.
Clearly, if you come in on Day 1 with a bad appendix and then a week later with a heart attack, they are two incidents.
Yes, I am a conservative. More libertarian actually. I hate government insurance. I am not a fan of the VA system. But THIS part of the law will save BILLIONs over the next few years. Re-admits will go down. Beds will be available. And the Drs and Nurses will have to pay attention the the details.