Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Via Byron York, I learned of this absolutely shocking New York Times story about how the Obama Administration is recruiting a team of “mystery shoppers” to pose as patients, call doctors’ offices and request appointments to check on Obamacare compliance. These shoppers will not identify that they are actually government agents when they make their calls.
If the following quotes are representative, doctors are not happy with the new spying program:
“I don’t like the idea of the government snooping,” said Dr. Raymond Scalettar, an internist in Washington. “It’s a pernicious practice — Big Brother tactics, which should be opposed.”
According to government documents obtained from Obama administration officials, the mystery shoppers will call medical practices and ask if doctors are accepting new patients and, if so, how long the wait would be. The government is eager to know whether doctors give different answers to callers depending on whether they have public insurance, like Medicaid, or private insurance, like Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Dr. George J. Petruncio, a family doctor in Turnersville, N.J., said: “This is not a way to build trust in government. Why should I trust someone who does not correctly identify himself?”
Dr. Stephen C. Albrecht, a family doctor in Olympia, Wash., said: “If federal officials are worried about access to care, they could help us. They don’t have to spy on us.”
Dr. Robert L. Hogue, a family physician in Brownwood, Tex., asked: “Is this a good use of tax money? Probably not. Everybody with a brain knows we do not have enough doctors.”
And it's only going to get better with Obamacare, right?
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Jun '11
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
One more disincentive for talented people to enter the medical field.
Jul '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
I'm sure the rumors about retraining camps for doctors not meeting the federal standard for provider conduct are overblown.
Jul '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Barry's administration once again offers something simultaneously useless and obnoxious.
The "secret shoppers" will tell them what they already know regarding the big picture: access to care isn't as good for folks on Medicaid. It will tell them virtually nothing on a provider by provider basis, but the individuals running these practices will be pointlessly harassed anyway.
May '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
And what's the consequence? They'll pay them...less?? Most physicians already take care of Medicare and Medicaid patients purely because it's the right thing to do. My husband has a pretty good payer mix and still Medicare is 30% of his labor and only 10% of his compensation. If the government screws with them any more they'll just stop accepting them altogether.
Aug '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Oh, Andrea, you know that's easy to fix. Next you mandate that doctors must accept them ;-)
Jun '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Oh, Andrea, you know that's easy to fix. Next you mandate that doctors must accept them ;-) · Jun 26 at 10:11pm
Molly: You say the callers are checking on Obamacare "compliance." Are doctors required under Obamacare to accept Medicare & Medicaid patients? I didn't know that.
I assumed the purpose of the secret shoppers was to get evidence that the doctors aren't accepting these patients so they could be forced to in phase 2. As Palaeoogus states, we already know Medicaid & Medicare patients aren't accepted by all doctors.
Government uses these secret shoppers to catch businesses that serve booze and cigarettes to minors. I think they are quite effective when used by pivate industry to check on their employees' customer service skills. It does seem like Big Brother when the government is involved & their agenda is so tranparent.
Edited on June 27, 2011 at 8:56amJul '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
On the other hand, we've stopped that program to wiretap terrorists. So we've got that going for us.
May '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Another one for the "if a Republican had done this" file.
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Step by step, the administrative entitlements estate is destined to become a police state.
May '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
That's exactly right.
Jun '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
After the initial bit of shock, my more rational response was, "well, of course, this is what they would do." For the reasons set forth by Dr. Rahe.
May '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Oh, Andrea, you know that's easy to fix. Next you mandate that doctors must accept them ;-) · Jun 26 at 10:11pm
Let them try that. Doctors will retaliate and it won't be pretty. :-)
Jan '11
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
That's because doctors are now merely employees of the state. Once healthcare was declared a right, doctors stopped being private operators and were "annexed" by the government.
Mar '11
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Andrea Ryan
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Oh, Andrea, you know that's easy to fix. Next you mandate that doctors must accept them ;-) · Jun 26 at 10:11pm
Let them try that. Doctors will retaliate and it won't be pretty. :-) · Jun 27 at 6:37am
What are they going to do? Stick their fingers up . . . Oh, never mind.
Jun '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
What are they going to do? Well if Canada is any example, they will work much shorter hours, take longer vacations (I can hear Andrea's cheers in the background!), see as few chronic patients as possible (Chronic patients will be able to get appointments, but it will usually be four to six weeks after the phone call.), build more walk-in clinics, and organize a new medical specialty—the hospitalist (for patients admitted to hospital that have no family doctor), This is a short list, but readers catch the drift. Those with union experience will see this a working to rule.
May '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
There is no limit to the ambition of socialists.
Aug '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Those "mystery shoppers" represent new jobs! ARE YOU AGAINST JOBS?!?!
;-)
Aug '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Andrea Ryan
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Oh, Andrea, you know that's easy to fix. Next you mandate that doctors must accept them ;-) · Jun 26 at 10:11pm
Let them try that. Doctors will retaliate and it won't be pretty. :-) · Jun 27 at 6:37am
I sure hope you're right!
May '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
My husband...work less? Yes, I am cheering!! But there will always be a boutique care system where those with the means to pay will still get extraordinary care. I have a few friends who are already taking their practices in that direction. They limit their practice to about 500 patients who pay an annual fee of about $1,000 to $2,000. In return, they get great care and immediate access, which includes the doctor's cell phone number.
Aug '10
Re: Obama Launches Program To Spy On Doctors. Yes, Really.
Andrea Ryan
My husband...work less? Yes, I am cheering!! But there will always be a boutique care system where those with the means to pay will still get extraordinary care.
If Obamacare follows the lead of the Great White North, that will eventually be made illegal.