More linkages on Healthcare

Since I haven't discussed healthcare in awhile, and since it's back in the news, here's some quick healthcare links.

Seems that tort reform could save more money that originally projected, but not as much as half of what the proponents of tort reform like to say (factcheck.org article on new CBO analysis).

However, don't forget to read until the end and the section labels "Health Effects?" So for saving .5% (actually .45%, but that's just a rounding quibble) we would get a .2% higher mortality rate (they don't have a number for morbidity and while we could expect that to grow as well, it's at this point undefined). I also dispute the "Tax and Save" economic theory that what companies save in healthcare costs they would actually pass on in higher salaries (which would lead to higher taxes). While I have no hard data (and don't have time for research), we have heard many stories of companies completely dropping their healthcare plans, but I've never heard them (the employers or employes) say that their pay increased to cover the employe's increased healthcare costs (since they would either have to buy private or go without).

Another factcheck.org article on the new Patients First "Medicare is going broke" ad. And I believe we've already talked about Patients First (Sourcewatch.org article, also don't miss the article on Americans for Prosperity their parent organization - and their links to the Koch Family Foundation).

An interesting Gallup poll on who the country trusts on healthcare. Also, in case I forgot to post it here, the Gallup poll on people's views of healthcare depending on the details. Now that we have more concrete details on the plan (which could all change in the floor debates), it'll be interesting to see where those 39% go.

And a TPM article on Rep. Buyer, his Frontier Foundation and big PhRMA. Really, when I was a kid this kind of stuff was done with a little bit of style and aplomb. It's like they no longer give a crap. Dudes, it's called the "internet." You all might want to look into it as I'm told it's the bee's knees.