Hidden Costs of Health Care

" In the Senate vowing to make health care for all Americans his life's work and it was and that much more in Ted Kennedy's impact on the issues coming up but first my next guest. She is very deep end and the more than 1000 pages of president Obama's health care plan. Are a number of hidden costs that could negatively impact the care you received. Alan Miller is the founder chairman and CEO of universal health services was a recent Op Ed piece in The Wall Street Journal on health care reform. Broke down the cost I highly recommend it. And here yet to tell us with a warning on good morning good morning. I I you know I can't start talking about health care reform without asking you -- How does this and I guess the legacy of the loss of Senator Ted Kennedy affect PG and that going forward."

" I think that it's. It's unfortunate of course that he yes he was a great senator but these things that coming go and I think that this is something that. Is very basic truth to to America's economy and how we live and I think that after. Bomb the appropriate are grieving period and I think we'll move on to talk about the issue and I I don't know little analyst and."

" OK so -- and not a huge impact let's talk a little bit about those he'd need health care costs which you're talking to you Wall Street got -- them. Article what -- Hancock's well what I talked."

" About was the fact that Medicare does not pay for the cost of care. Medicare pays for about 93. Percent of the cost that was in the article and so the way that hospitals. And other providers. Can function. And remain viable is through the insurance market the insurance market and that's -- essence subsidizes. Medicare and Medicaid -- they pay. Way below cost. And that is something that I think people don't really well had not understood and I was happy to remind people it in that regard."

" Okay so so -- fourth layman's terms are you suggesting that they had the concept behind the Medicare program itself. I'm. -- the one that I guess is fueling this fire and that won't need to. Do as part of our reform is reform Medicare."

" Well Medicare doesn't pay me. What they should I don't pay course of that doesn't happen in any other segment of the economy. So that that's one issue. -- but. Revolving the Medicare issue and Medicaid by the way which are. Both insolvent if you go out and look at the monies that are required. It is a huge problem not been addressed I would rather see. Parts of the of the health care field. Reform affects not throw the whole system out. And and the thing that you mentioned that I talked about in the article was the fact that people don't understand them the insurance companies went away. It would not save any money you would then require that Medicare paid full vote. And all the other people would have to pay -- we pay for as well so that doesn't solve."

" It is reasonable that -- is because they're that a recent statistic that said and Medicare and Medicaid. Represented a 50% of the costs associated with health care in this country and give or take. How we fix what do you think of the right solutions. Well I think that for example."

" Well there's a number of ways one example would be if you would allow that the government would allow. Insurance to be border cross state lines of federal buying then people could be aggregated. A small business owner a Shoemaker. An auto repair shop they could aggregate across the United States someone. Some entrepreneur or some insurance company would come up with a program for auto repair shops and they would tell the question United States and they have. Enough people so that they could really. The whole insurance thing could function properly to me that's a no -- But you have fifteen separate states each one of them. I want to protect their own insurance department and the like. And the and the federal government has not been strong an awful hasn't had the will to push this it's been talked about for many years to me that's it that's so simple and it doesn't. Cost anything."

" I couldn't agree with you more -- unfortunately we have to go right now but excellent point has such a simple way to fix it don't forget about tort reform yeah the program -- Alan Miller thank you very much they have."