But will government stifle it? "The problem, of course, is that - TopicsExpress

But will government stifle it? "The problem, of course, is that Medicare and Medicaid have a virtual monopoly on many health services. Medicare sets fees according to a clinical price schedule (essentially a price-control system), with little transparency on how it sets up these schedules. The only thing we know is that they are heavily influenced by a committee of the American Medical Association, a group which in turn is heavily subsidized by payments provided by a government enforced medical coding monopoly. Medicare more often than not refuses to accommodate new diagnostic technologies. Moreover, it forbids billing for more than one blood test per year not directly connected to an illness or suspected illness. We all know that such blood testing is one of the most important features of an emerging new medicine. But Medicare does not care; they just see it as additional expense, even though it can save billions in the long run."