MACRA empowers bureaucracy, not patients and their doctors

Richard Armstrong, MD of https://d4pcfoundation.org/ submitted the following comments to CMS in opposition to the 962-page MACRA proposed rule.  Comments are due 6/27.  Submit yours TODAY at http://bit.ly/macracomment

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentleman,

My name is Dr. Richard Armstrong. I am a general surgeon who has been in practice for 35 years since completing post-graduate training. I have been in the military, in academics, in private practice and now employed. I have watched the development of the federal medical bureaucracy since 1976 and opposed more government intervention then in public in a letter to the Washington post. I did this as an active duty naval officer and received hundreds of letters of support.

In 2009 after President Obama spoke before a joint session of Congress about health care reform, I wrote to him with a simple specific request. I asked him to please speak with the doctors on the front lines, the dedicated physicians and surgeons who care for all of you and your families day and night…24/7. The fellow human beings who are there for you when you need us and who passionately care about our profession and our patients. Of course, my plea went unheeded, so I joined a group of concerned physicians and traveled to Washington to read my letter in public on October 1st, 2009. This was the beginning of a national movement to return the leadership of our proud profession to those who understand what it is to care for individual human beings, one at a time, face to face, with dedication, compassion and excellence. That movement is growing.

We Need to Become Joyous Warriors

Richard Armstrong, MD writes in response to Dr. Kris Held’s guest post:

Kris, Yes, but I must also add something which we discussed in Colorado to what I believe is simply a factual observation. The circumstances we are currently living have been very long in the making. Those who favor “government run and planned” medical care are running up against a very harsh reality.the economics of their plans don’t work.there is a fundamental math issue which they tend to gloss over and ignore, but just witness the Vermont attempts. Even Governor Shumlin had to finally admit, although he waited for his re-election, that in the final analysis they couldn’t do it.duh.it is no surprise to us.