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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Obama's Justice Dept declares war on Doctors

*Hat tip to Dr. Steve who says:
This case is a watershed for two reasons: First, until now the Federal Trade Commission, not the Justice Department, has taken the lead in prosecuting physicians. Since 2000, the FTC has brought about three dozen cases against physicians (all but one of which settled without any trial). But the FTC only has civil and administrative jurisdiction; the Antitrust Division has civil and criminal jurisdiction. The Sherman Act makes no distinction between civil and criminal “price fixing,” so in a case like this, it’s entirely a matter of prosecutorial discretion whether to charge the doctors with a civil or criminal offense. Based on the descriptions in the Antitrust Division’s press release, there’s certainly no reason they couldn’t have prosecuted the doctors criminally and insisted upon prison sentences — and there’s little doubt such threats were made or implied to obtain the physicians’ agreement to the proposed “settlement.” The second reason this is a landmark case is that the Justice Department has unambiguously stated that refusal to accept government price controls is a form of illegal “price fixing.” The FTC has hinted at this when it’s said physicians must accept Medicare-based reimbursement schedules from insurance companies. But the DOJ has gone the final step and said, “Government prices are market prices,” in the form of the Idaho Industrial Commission’s fee schedule. The IIC administers the state’s worker compensation system and is composed of three commissioners appointed by the governor. This isn’t a quasi-private or semi-private entity. It’s purely a government operation.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's all purely a government operation! Isn't that what socialism is all about?!?

Pat said...

We just recieved a letter from our Medical Group that our family doctor and his family will be leaving the Medical Center that has always been our family doctors and hospital. I need a perscription re-filled so will see my doctor on Friday for the last time. In the letter we recieved our family doctor, stated he is going back to Canada with his wife and more than likely his three grown college age children will move to Canada as well. We heard from other patients who have the same doctor as we do, that Canada needs doctors and their government will welcome back to their home country former Canadian Citizens Doctors.

Also a large public letter in the area and local News Papers told that 4 doctors will be leaving our area local Medical Centers in the smaller communties and those Medical Centers will be closed!!!! So now we don't have any doctors unless we travel longer distances for our medical services!

Must write a letter to the illiterate arrogant Senator (D) Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and the White House Turd, and thank them for the loss of our local Medical Center's and the loss of many brilliant family Doctors!

We're so damn angry and just totally disgusted with this tribe of lawless lawmakers! We've got to kick them out of office! Any thing would be better than what is presently setting in Washington!