Secrets of the City

I don’t think I have ever seen the hospital industry in this state ever do anything like this — a unified and direct slap back at the Gov.

We have seen local governments do this, and more recently Pawlenty’s old law partner took his case to the media. But hospitals? This is something new.

These seems an unfortunate power play with health of patients in the balance.

I don’t think this is a power play. I think this is hospitals being upfront about what will happen if they have funds cut. Patients will suffer, and it sucks, but if money is cut, then patients will suffer. Better to be upfront about it.

If you don’t make the play, you don’t have the power, Rat.

They wanted to get the public’s attention on this issue. It worked.

Now to see if greater awareness makes a difference in the final outcome.

I’m on the side of the hospitals … but necessarily the health care industry. I also think T-Paw is a dink. However, how many health administrators and executives get paid six-figure salaries? What percentage of the almost-stratospheric increase in health care costs over the past 10-15 years can be attributed to aggressive salary hogs? And fraud?

It’s a circular argument, I know. Like the Wall Street broker who says he can’t live in Manhattan on “only” $250k. Well, that’s because he’s willing to pay $50k per month for his flat and no landlord is going to turn down grabbing that kind of bread from a willing customer.

Pay is part of it, but you also need to figure in the cost of high tech equipment as well as percentage of compensation from insurance companies.

Also, I think you’d be surprised how little CEO’s of non-profit hospitals are paid in comparison to the insurance execs. I’m not saying they aren’t paid well, but it’s subjective.

Also, physician comp is down from years past (I mean, unless your specialty is cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery, or radiology) while malpractice premiums continue to rise.

@aliecat: All up and down the health care industry. CEO compensation is totally out of whack, regardless of the industry. I don’t mind good pay for the people who do the actual work but, sorry, executives don’t pull the same weight as doctors, nurses, etc. It’s more akin to being a mob boss, i.e. skimming the cream off the top just for being the boss.

speaking of nurses, they’re going to be laying a bunch off if this happens. so have a good time in the hospital if you still have insurance.