9 chapters across the catalog
Medical Billing Inflation, Outpatient Surgery Costs
Adam Curry details a recent $119,000 hospital bill for a family member's outpatient meniscus surgery. He explains the discrepancy between the "sticker price" and the $20,000 settlement paid by insurance. The hosts describe the modern American healthcare system as a "scam care system" driven by insurance bureaucrats and contrast it with the cash-based "house call" era.
ICD-10 Medical Coding Transition, Small Practice Compliance
The transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 medical coding introduces over 16,000 new subclassifications for diseases and injuries. Small medical practices face significant financial burdens, ranging from $56,000 to over $226,000, to meet the October 1, 2015, compliance deadline, potentially driving them toward large corporate HMO structures.
Bill Clinton Militia Act Reference, Health Care Mandate Comparison
Former President Bill Clinton attempts to defend the individual health care mandate by citing a law signed by George Washington requiring citizens to own rifles. The hosts identify this as a reference to the Militia Acts of 1792, arguing the comparison is a non-sequitur and historically inaccurate.
Al Franken, Joe Lieberman, and Senate Floor Time Disputes
Senator Al Franken, acting as the presiding officer of the Senate, denied Senator Joe Lieberman an extension of time to finish his remarks on the health care bill. Senator John McCain expressed shock at the move, claiming it was the first time in his twenty-year career he had seen a colleague denied a routine minute to conclude. The strict enforcement of time limits was attributed to a party-led effort to expedite the passage of the health care legislation.
Nancy Pelosi on Health Care Mandates and Prison Penalties
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was questioned by a reporter regarding the fairness of jailing citizens who refuse to purchase health insurance. Pelosi defended the legislation, stating that everyone must do their part to cover the costs of uncompensated care. The hosts criticize the logic of spending $40,000 annually to imprison someone for failing to pay for health insurance.
Congressional Health Care Bill Debate and House Proceedings
The hosts discuss their observations of the televised health care debate on C-SPAN, describing the proceedings as tedious and repetitive. They note a specific late-night session where two Republican representatives addressed a nearly empty House chamber. The discussion highlights the confusing nature of the legislative process as the bill moves toward a final version.
Health Care Bill Abortion Amendments and Legislative Confusion
The discussion turns to the role of abortion amendments in the health care bill debate, noting that government funding for the procedure was a major sticking point. The hosts express confusion over the current status of the bill, debating whether it has cleared the House or the Senate. They describe the legislative process as a "mob-like" conference where differences are resolved behind closed doors.
Baucus Health Care Bill and Shell Bill Tactics
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report on the Baucus health care bill, estimating it will cost $829 billion over ten years while reducing the deficit. The hosts discuss a religious exemption for Christian Scientists and the legislative tactic of "shell bills," where health care language is inserted into unrelated bills like H.R. 1586.
Blue Dog Democrats, Town Hall Frustration, and Unemployment
A clip from a Mississippi town hall features a woman expressing frustration with government corruption and the lack of accountability in the SEC. Representative Gene Taylor, a Blue Dog Democrat, receives a standing ovation for stating he will vote against the health care plan. The hosts argue that the public anger at these meetings is driven more by high unemployment than by the health care bill itself.
