That would be NH State Senator Jeb Bradley (and I wonder what NH State Rep Joe LaChance thinks of this?). Boy, he’s turning into being the Poster Boy for Crony Capitalism – on the Government side. Of COURSE they will give “voluntary” contributions. He certainly can’t call them payoffs for his other bill that essentially made “no compete” areas for these same hospitals – rendering the CON-Board impotent. So now they can charge what they want. Steve has the info: Jeb Bradley’s Hospital Monopoly Bill
Jeb Bradley’s Health Care CON board bill is on the State Senate to-do list today. It sounds like your average, run-of-the-mill regulatory business as usual, which is usually bad enough. This particular bit of regulatory “business as usual” is much worse. It will create health-care fiefdoms around the major players (Hospitals) in the state, dividing the territory like a crime family, and forcing other players to bow to the regulatory gods of Bradley Care or get out.
SB 481 will result in,
-
25 mile radius monopolies for the 13 critical access hospitals across the state, which effectively cuts off roughly 70% of the state fromdevelopment of health care facilities.
-
A ban on any health care facility that doesn’t take Medicaid or Medicare (meant to target Cancer Treatment Centers of America from coming to NH)
-
A requirement that any new hospital have an emergency department (naturally all specialty hospitals already here are grandfathered)
It is the expansion of Bradley-Care and a sop to the big players. It will limit or prevent competition which will reduce access and prevent you from having more choices while keeping prices high by hamstringing those who dare to enter the marketplace anyway. It is the state defining the terms by which you are able to obtain care in favor of a privileged few.
My question is which is worse: MaggieCare or BradleyCare? They both basically made hospitals public utilities. Except while with MaggieCare, this was a government control take-over for the sake of control. IMHO, BradleyCare is government control, not for the power, but for the money (but using political power to take that money to keep painting that Medicaid Expansion “read my lips, no new taxes” facade. Just like the proverbial Wild Wild West town – they don’t want you to see what’s behind the frontage.
Two different avenues, same stop sign. Two means to the end – at least Hassan was open about it. For you see, with the uptick in prices, you and I will be paying “a tax that isn’t a tax” – for what is the difference between a government tax and government allowing high prices.
But one thing strikes me – that word “voluntary”; what would be Jeb’s next move if the hospitals actually decided that “voluntary really means voluntary”? “High Prices” would allow them to PAY those Jeb Bradley mandatory voluntary contributions but will they “spread the wealth” in this avoidance scheme (avoidance being taxes, payment, responsibility, openness, transparency, shill game).
“Hospitals and insurers who benefit from the NHHPP have agreed to make voluntary contributions in order that the NHHPP be reauthorized.” – Jeb Bradley.
Can anyone really look at that statement and NOT think “Cui bono?”
(H/T: Susan)
