No one knows what will happen in health care, but change is imminent. If you want to shape the future, September and October are great times to reach MemCongs while they are home campaigning.

http://youtu.be/jeXP4WSJzk8

This video shows you how easy it is to show a state senator what's going on in your practice or hospital. They same is true of MemCongs... just pick up the phone and ask them to stop by and hear what you have to say.

Call Now - Operators May Be Standing By...

Lobbying: High Touch Beats High Tech

Physicians and practice staff are like politicians in one important way: Their days are 150% full.

Just as physicians want more time with patients, politicians wish they had more time to spend talking with constituents.

It's just like John Naisbitt predicted in "Megatrends": The more high tech we become, the more we value high touch.

This shows up particularly with politicians who are very people oriented. Lyndon Johnson used to call it "pressing the flesh," something he lusted for.

In today's world of politics despite -- or probably because of -- Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and all the other techno multipliers, personal contact and relationships are more powerful than ever.

I don't see politicians making policy decisions based on Tweets, cell phone videos or floods of email. Has Obama's vaunted list of emails helped move Congress his way on health care?

This book emphasizes proven communication techniques that will move elected officials to act and help you shape health care policy your way.

Why e-mail is worth the paper it's written on...

Washington Post inquiry casts further doubt on email lobbying campaigns.

The Post reports most members of Congress and their staff and staff of regulatory agencies doubt the validity of emails. They think many aren't real and those that are are meaningless because the senders aren't aware what they are doing. Checking with people whose names were on emails sent to the FCC, "all but one said they had not agreed to send any e-mails at all."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/21/AR2007112102149.html

Discouraged physicians drop out of politics

Here's a story that confirms what many of us have long suspected:

Physicians are dropping out of the political field, leaving to others decisions that affect their ability to practice medicine.

If you think you cannot make a difference, or don't want to get into something as unpleasant as politics, view the video below in which a doctor explains her evolution into active advocacy and lobbying.

Then view the video conversation with a lobbyist for a state medical association for his sobering estimate of what percentage of physicians lobby and how that affects his ability to represent them.

Poll Finds That Physicians Long for Political Action

TAMPA, Fla. /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new poll of doctors across the country finds that physicians desperately want to play a bigger role in the political process, especially when it comes to health care reform.
As the number of uninsured Americans continues to climb, political candidates are being called upon to make sweeping changes to the U.S. health care system. As a result, doctors say it's more important than ever for them to become more involved in the political process, according to the survey conducted by the American College of Physician Executives.
An overwhelming majority of the more than 760 doctors who responded to the survey said the input of doctors is vital if the health care system is ever truly going to be reformed. A majority also said they vote in every election and many donate money to candidates or causes they support. But they also expressed frustration and cynicism when talking about politics.
"I have given up on the political process," one survey respondent wrote. "Washington fiddles while Rome burns. Hearings regarding steroids in baseball are given more attention than fixing our national disgrace of the uninsured. At best, politicians are 'useful' idiots. At worst, they are venal and utterly unconcerned about the ongoing collapse of our health care 'system.'"
Some of the survey participants said physicians aren't well-suited for politics because they aren't well-organized and have a diverse array of interests. As a result, their message gets lost among the more unified organizations, such as hospitals, insurance companies and trial lawyers.
One doctor called the medical profession "the antithesis" of politics, which is all about making deals and compromising. "We are trained to be analytical and straightforward and to recommend the best course for our patients," the doctor wrote. "We are not used to negotiating for what we think is the best treatment for our patients."
Most physicians agreed that the time to get involved in politics is now. As the country decides who will be its leader for the next four years, the debate surrounding health care is growing more heated and doctors' voices need to be heard.
The survey was conducted in March and the results are published in the May/June issue of The Physician Executive Journal of Medical Management published by the American College of Physician Executives.
To receive a copy of the ACPE 2008 Political Survey results, including nearly 200 comments posted by the doctors, please email Bill Steiger, ACPE VP Communications, at bsteiger@acpe.org
The American College of Physician Executives, with 10,000 members, teaches leadership and management skills to physicians. ACPE has been serving physician leaders for more than 30 years. http://www.acpe.org
Contact: Bill Steiger, bsteiger@acpe.org or 800-562-8088
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.
American College of Physician Executives
CONTACT: Bill Steiger of American College of Physician Executives,+1-800-562-8088, bsteiger@acpe.org
Web site: http://www.acpe.org/

Report From One Blue Dog's Town Hall Meetings FL-2 Allen Boyd

1. People who “have not” health care insurance are a new minority getting little sympathy from the “haves.”

2. If health care reform depends on Blue Dog Democrats, getting anything will be tough.

3. Many people in North Florida look at the federal government and see an evil axis of Pelosi, Frank and Obama that is hostile to them and their way of life.

4. Providers such as physicians and hospitals are not being heard.

I conclude this after attending eight Town Hall meetings held by Allen Boyd, who represents FL-2. He has announced a total of 14 meetings in his district and my hat's off to him for doing so. His service in Vietnam probably seems tame in comparison.

(I posted videos of what his constituents are saying on YouTube at grassrootsguy.)

When he mentions 47 million people uninsured, the crowds, and they are unprecedented crowds, leap to their feet in anger. They hurl the words "illegal immigrant" like brickbats and shake their heads in disbelief.

When he reads the section of HB3200 prohibiting health care for illegals, they shout "liar, not true, what about the rest of the bill." No matter what Boyd says, the people at these meetings worry that the evil axis and he have some card up their sleeve that will adversely affect the health plan they have.

The deepest continuing thread is fear and resentment of government intrusion of any sort and skepticism of government's ability to competently manage anything.

Boyd usually seeks out people on Medicare, Tricare (retired military) or veteran's care and asks if they are happy. They say they like their care. Then they, too, will object to any new "socialized" or "government" health care.

Although he was one of those responsible for delaying action in the House, he is accused, and Congress in general, of rushing through a bill no one has read or understood. A significant number of people clearly have read HB3200, listed their objections and are scared of its complexity. They refuse to believe Boyd has read the bill no matter what he says.

These first eight meetings have been in more rural areas of north FL from Cross City to Marianna. Those in the meetings are mostly over 55, 99.9% white and able to attend a meeting during working hours. Something more than 90%, by a show of hands, have insurance and like it and fear anything new will affect their insurance. The uninsured are not showing up at these meetings and not being heard, nor or is the provider community.

The people who do show up are real people with real fears. They feel marginalized by what they see as a foreign cabal of Pelosi, Frank and Obama, names they articulate with visceral disgust. They have difficulty explaining what they fear from these three except they don’t trust them. I think it reflects the politics of identity. These people in North Florida see no one in power in Washington that looks like themselves.

Pelosi's “un-American” put-down has energized them like the bombing of London did the British. Boyd's voters accuse him of treason for supporting Pelosi as Speaker.

Since that un-Aamerican remark, people in his meetings stand up and say, "I'm not paid to be here and I represent no one but myself and my family" and usually get a standing ovation.

Boyd has said he wants some kind of reform to help people with pre-existing conditions and those with no insurance through no fault of their own. The pressure against any change on this moderate Democrat in a conservative district is intense, at least in these public meetings. Supporters of single payer plans are few and silent.

He says he won't take a poll to determine his action, but it will take a real act of courage for him to support any reform. It has been an act of courage to walk among and listen to his voters.

###

Town Hell Meetings On Health Care This August?

This promises to be a lively August break for Congress. Will your voice be heard against the mob?

I've always believed the President and Congress need to get shouted at once in a while, something lobbyists can't do. But if only one side is shouting, only one side will be heard. Consistent, expressed anger is powerful.

“Town halls have become town hells,” said Mark McKinnon, a former adviser to President George W. Bush. “Special interests and opponents have figured out how easy it is to disrupt town halls and get their own message out. The days of the truly free-form town halls may be over.”

Inviting MemCongs to a small meeting with sensible, sane people who have something of substance to say will make your group stand out.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/25765.html#ixzz0ND9PKAge

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Excerpts Iowa Hospital Association Lobby Day Keynote

This was a presentation for Iowa Hospital Association's Lobby Day. About 1100 people in the audience including a lot of volunteers. It was short and designed to be more entertaining than a longer seminar/training session would be.

Sometimes we focus on delivering a specific message based on a personal version of your issue with a story from the district.

xxx

Zeke Emanuel: Scrapping Health Care System

Zeke Emanuel, brother of Rahm and therefore one degree away from the President, recently spoke to the Commonwealth Club of California and laid out his 10-point plan for health care reform (really, revolution).

Here are the basics:

1. Citizens get a government voucher to pay for standard basic insurance.
2. Everybody is covered, people have a choice of plans.
3. Funded by a value-added tax dedicated for this purpose.
4. Supplemental insurance available for those who want it.
5. Private sector organizes and delivers health care.
6. Tax deduction for employer insurance is phased out.
7. Phase out Medicare and Medicaid; no new enrollees.
8. Administration by a health board similar to Federal Reserve.
9. Create and institute to evaluate technology and outcomes.
10. Malpractice reform and centers for patient safety.

To watch the whole speech and Q and A in high quality video, go to

http://fora.tv/2009/01/08/Zeke_Emanuel_Scrapping_the_Health_Care_System

You can also access a four-minute version of the 10 points.

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Reporter explains series on insurance companies vs. physicians and patients

Reporter explains Toledo Blade series on how insurance companies compromise physician's ability to deliver care.

###

Patients suffer as care, coverage limits collide

‘Most doctors don’t start people on medications because they like to start medicines,’ says Dr. Jack Brunner, a Toledo endocrinologist. ‘They have specific reasons and goals for the patient.’

###

The Toledo Blade's investigative team set out to examine whether patients are getting the care their doctors ordered. No doctor or practice manager will be surprised. Take this series of articles to your local newspaper and show them how to tell the story about current health care.

###

A nationwide survey of doctors by the Toledo Blade shows they increasingly feel that insurance companies erode the doctor-patient relationship and often prevent patients from getting necessary care by second guessing doctors' decisions.

The rising costs of health care procedures has led insurers to constrain treatment options available to doctors in an attempt to hold costs down, according to the majority of doctors surveyed. Doctors said the motive is a drive for profits, while the insurers said it's necessary to hold down the costs for businesses that usually pay the majority of health care premiums.

### link to Toledo Blade below

Article 1:

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/NEWS32/106232155/-1/ARCHIVES30

Article 2:

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080825/NEWS32/106231964/-1/ARCHIVES30

###

Dollars and cents of health care

One of the challenges to everyone in health care is to explain the dollars and cents. But most physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and other providers hold to the traditional view that their books, operating expenses, etc., are proprietary.

Which means nobody understands because nobody effectively explains.

A powerful exception is a story in the Nantucket Independent newspaper.

http://www.nantucketindependent.com/news/2008/0820/front_page/003.html

This story explains how a publicly funded nursing home is going broke. Because it's owned by a municipality, the books are open. This story makes a compelling case for better reimbursement.

This is the way to tell the story and win a better system.

xxx

More health care professionals running for office?

Not sure, but I get a sense that a lot of physicians and other health care professionals are running for political office. Probably because they see and feel the pain.

One of the most interesting is Judy Baker, who is mounting a strong campaign as a Democrat in a usually Republican district, Missouri 9th.
She is trained as a practice manager.

From her campaign site: She joined MU’s University Physicians practice plan, first serving as director of operations at Capital Region Medical Group in Jefferson City during the University’s management of the facility and then as interim executive director of the entire practice plan until 2002. She left the University at that time and found her own consulting firm, now Cura Advantage. In addition to operating her business, she has served as part-time administrative director for ACTS International, a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to building partnerships that benefit the country of Georgia, and as an adjunct professor teaching managerial economics at Columbia College.

She served in the MO House for three years. Her campaign has been added to the Democratic Party's Red To Blue effort, which means she has raised enough money and support to possibly win.

The 9th District stretches from the Iowa state line to the Lake of the Ozarks and from Columbia to the western fringe of the St. Louis area.

Her site:

http://judybakerforcongress.com

OP-ed pieces: very effective, if...

Here's an excerpt from an excellent op-ed (opposite the editorial page) article in Long Island Newsday by a hospice volunteer. The full article is personal, detailed and local, full of restrained and powerful emotion.

"I know from my own and others' experience that hospice is an important option for a terminally ill patient and his or her family to be able to choose...

"But this choice is being threatened by the Bush administration, which, as a cost-cutting measure, plans to reduce Medicare reimbursement rates to hospices so severely that some may be forced out of business and others to reduce their services..."
BY JEAN BARBER

Full text of article:
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opbar315782876jul31,0,6538603.story

Just as with letters to the editor (see below), the writer, and as many others as you can muster, need to send a copy to senators and representatives you can vote for and request action and request a response. Fax works best and it's important to call and make sure someone got it. That demonstrates you are serious. Anything less gives elected officials and their staff permission to do nothing.

Remember, your goal with PR techniques like this is to get action from members of Congress. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter how many people read and agree with you.

Doctors using letters to editor - very effective, if...

Two letters to the editor make good points in the Baltimore sun July 31:

"If Medicare altered its reimbursement system by rewarding preventive care and giving a smaller financial incentive to tests and procedures, not only would the cost of health care drop without any decline in quality but the altered financial incentives might prompt more medical students to pursue primary care fields."
Dr. Andy Lazris

"Under (the current) system, excess blood tests, EKGs, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, etc., will be ordered with increasing frequency, no matter what else happens."
Dr. Edmund J. MacLaughlin
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an effective tactic to get out your message, but you need to make sure the letters are read by appropriate elected officials. I recommend you cut out the newspaper masthead (that gives the name and date), put it with your letter, copy it, then fax to your representative and senator with a cover letter to them. Call to make sure it got there and -- most important -- ask for action.

Otherwise they may never see it and they will not respond.

Full text of letters at

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/letters/bal-ed.le.medicare31jul31,0,1240881.story

Physicians and their associations shift money to Democrats

Insightful look at the politics of medicine from Patrick O'Connor at Politico:

Congressional Republicans are trying to mend an ailing relationship with their once-loyal allies in the medical community after opposing legislation to block an annual pay cut for doctors under Medicare.
In the House, Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri convened a private meeting last week with a handful of top lobbyists for the medical community to make amends after the contentious vote, according to people familiar with that session...

In the run-up to the 2006 midterm elections, doctors and the groups that represent them gave 62 percent of their combined $52.4 million war chest to Republicans, compared with 37 percent to Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That breakdown mirrors previous cycles since Bush entered the White House.
But since 2006, doctors and related groups have given Democrats 53 percent of their combined $53 million in campaign contributions, according to the watchdog group.
The switch is even more stark for the AMA.
In the run-up to the 2006 election, the AMA’s political action committee gave Republicans 70 percent of its campaign cash, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In 2004, the AMA’s PAC contributed 80 percent of its total donations to Republican lawmakers and candidates.
Since 2006, that PAC has directed 53 percent of its contributions to Democrats.

The complete commentary at:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/12124.html

What it takes to fix Medicare Medicaid reimbursement

Here's an interview with a lobbyist for California Medical Association that explains how powerful -- and easy -- it is for physicians to contact politicians. The first thing he says gives you an indication of why such issues as Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement don't always go the way physicians would like.

Sensible editorial about Medicare reimbursement

Atlanta Journal Constitution gets it right. Here's an excerpt:

The most reasonable approach would be to bundle payments to doctors, or groups of doctors, who care for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and congestive heart failure. The healthier the doctors keep their patients, the lower the cost to taxpayers and the higher the reimbursement rate.

Instead, Medicare still pays doctors for more than 7,000 "units of service" — ordering tests, changing medications, requiring more frequent visits from patients — all of which are billed separately. With few exceptions, there is no financial incentive for physicians to keep their per-patient cost under control.

Use this url for the full editorial

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2008/07/25/medicared_0727.html

Another good shot in the Medicare war

Dr. Robert A. Thompson, President, North Dakota Medical Association
wrote a great letter that is published in The Dickenson Press. Note how it is localized and relevant to the newspaper's readers.

This can now be reproduced and sent to elected officials and others. No doubt most of them will get it from their clipping service and by sending it in from multiple sources you reinforce the message. Politicians pay careful attention to what their voters pay attention to. While letters to the editor are not read as much as the sports pages, the people who read them are opinion leaders.

This is a time-tested, effective, cheap and easy technique to influence elected officials.

http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/articles/index.cfm?id=16323&section=Opinion

Excellent newspaper coverage of Medicare problems

The Nashville Tennessean just featured a two-part series about how physicians are limiting the number of new Medicare beneficiaries they will treat and how some are charging concierge fees to accept new beneficiaries.

This is a model you might be able to suggest to your local news media and offer to find people to flesh out the story.

Part 1 Medicare cuts take toll on patients, doctors

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807200408

Part 2 Want to keep your doctor? Pony up $1,500

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807210342