Frist warns ASSH meeting attendees that changes are coming to health care

CHICAGO — Regardless of who is voted in next month as the next U.S. president, health care is targeted for numerous changes, according to the former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader, William H. Frist, MD.

Frist addressed the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), here, as the society’s Presidential Guest Lecturer.

In one of his key predictions during the meeting, Frist said the Democratic Party will control the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate following the elections in November.

“The Democrats are now in control and they will pick up more control in this year’s elections — possibly 12 seats in the House and four in the Senate,” he said. “Therefore, no matter who is president, you are going to see more regulation, more oversight and more investigation.”

He also foresees Congress expanding insurance coverage nationwide to the tune of about $2 billion per year no matter who wins the presidency.

“But, anytime you are willing to look into a crystal ball ... you have to be ready to eat crushed glass,” he said.

“Even if McCain wins, because of the Democratic Congress, there will be a government-run plan that will compete with all the private plans that are out there,” Frist said. “I don’t personally like that because when you bring the government into it, they can always low-ball the bids, and that will affect the marketplace.”

And while a single-payer system isn’t perfect, “To have 1,000 carriers out there with the bureaucratic nightmare morass that is created in your offices is absurd,” Frist said.

The United States is at a crossroads in terms of Americans’ belief in the fundamental rights to health care, he noted.

“There are two camps out there: those who believe that health care is a consumer good in which the financing of it should be the responsibility of the people who receive it ... and those who believe that medicine is a social good that should be available to everybody and financed by all members of society at a cost based on your ability to pay,” he said. “Once we decide which camp we are in, we can have a plan.”

For more information:
Frist WH. Presidential guest lecture: The future of health care in America. Presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Sept. 18-20, 2008. Chicago.