Local docs weigh in on health care bill

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Though he notes Thursday morning's passage of a health care reform bill in the U.S. Senate is the "beginning, not the end," Portage anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist Dr. Michael Chafty says the key ideas behind the bill are the right ones.

"I think we all agree health care reform is needed," Chafty told 24 Hour News 8. "It's needed because the cost of health care, for one, [and] that lack of health care access."

About 31 million more Americans are expected to have access under the Senate bill, a move likely to cut emergency room costs. With primary care doctors, the newly insured have a better shot at managing their health care, rather than waiting for it to become an emergency.

Still, Chafty is worried about the cost of new coverage -- and whether the plan will be viable and sustainable in the long term.

"I'm concerned. I've seen what's happened to Medicare," he said -- namely, cuts in reimbursements to doctors. "Now, you're talking about expanding this on a pretty significant level."

Grand Rapids pediatric opthamologist Dr. Patrick Droste shares the concern about cost and agrees there's need for reform.

"The status quo isn't working and it definitely needs to be changed -- I want to make that clear," Droste told 24 Hour News 8. "But to go to a socialist agenda, which I consider this, is not the answer."

A more consumer-centered approach would be best, he said, one in which people have a better sense of where their health care dollars going. This bill, he said, will punish doctors who make more money.

And Droste is worried cost-cutting will force independent doctors to see more patients or join large hospital systems.

"You're not going to be a patient of Dr. Droste or Dr. X or Dr. Y, you're going to be a patient of the health care system," he said. "Who's your doctor? 'Henry Ford's my doctor,' Who's your doctor? 'Spectrum's my doctor,' Well what doctor? 'I don't know -- whoever they give me.' To me, that's not health care, that's not what Americans want but that's what they're going to get with this bill."

While the Senate bill has to be reconciled with the House plan, some Washington analysts believe the Senate's plan will be the framework, citing the bill's 60-vote super majority in that chamber.