April 24, 2026
C-SPAN
Washington Journal
Brian Blase on Hospital System Impact on Health Care Cost Crisis
Paragon Health Institute President Brian Blase discusses the findings of
a new report looking at the impact government policies have on hospital
and health care costs.
https://www.c-span.org/program/washington-journal/brian-blase-on-hospital-system-impact-on-health-care-cost-crisis/678029
I believe Brian Blase was a presidential aid for domestic health care
policy in the first Trump administration, but I only remember him from
C-SPAN appearances.
His organization just released a paper blaming hospital network
consolidation for being the huge factor in rising cost of health care
and that this is the most rapidly growing area of federal spending.
He barely touched on the Affordable Care Act, instead largely addressing Medicare and Medicaid spending. For our Canadian friends, it's the
federal government that sets reimbursements for both programs, even
though Medicaid is administered by states and is a joint state/federal program. Medicare supplements for Parts B (outpatient) and D (drugs)
simply pay at prices already set by the government. Patients still pay
annual deductibles and co-pays even with Medicare supplements, but
Medicaid actually covers a lot more than Medicare and there is no annual deductible nor co-pay to meet. Plenty of seniors can be on Medicare as primary payer then Medicaid for deductibles and co-pay for what Medicare covers, and Medicaid as primary payer for what Medicare does not cover, especially nursing homes. Due to nursing home payments, Medicaid is
mainly a program for the elderly and not families with young children although they are part of the program.
ACA is private insurance at fixed rates, sort of, for those under
Medicare age. Like everyone on private insurance, government
reimbursement levels are followed by private insurance even for patients
too young for Nedicare.
As I discussed in another post, consolidations are driven by a federak program that forced drug companies to sell at steep discounts drugs for patients on Medicaid. The networks, which are both hospitals and clincis consolidated into the hospital, mark up the drug price to the patient in order to bill insurance for the nondiscounted rate.
While I agree with Blase's problem statement, his discussion of
solutions was weak and I'll have to read his organization's
recommendations.
He said Trump is seeking higher reimbursement for primary care
physicians as opposed to specialists. While that could be a good thing,
I've seen my mother's bills. Her specialists were not receiving
outrageous payments for clinics. Instead, the tests -- entirely blood
work -- cost double or triple the office visit.
What's troubling is his continuing praise of the Trump administration.
Trump, personally, has no objection to consolidation in other
industries. Hell, if he has any kind of relationship with a CEO, he
favors consolidation.
The market is terribly distorted because incentive in federal law favors consolidation and Trump of all people will not push Congress to address
this.
The best one can say about socialized medicine is that, yes, it can be administered in a less ineffective manner but I don't see how a
marketplace solution in favor of patients is possible as long as it
continues to exist. Government isn't a monopsony but it has such a huge percentage of what it buys in the marketplace that it might as well be.
Paragon Health Institute President Brian Blase discusses the findings of
a new report looking at the impact government policies have on hospital
and health care costs.
April 24, 2026
C-SPAN
Washington Journal
Brian Blase on Hospital System Impact on Health Care Cost Crisis
Paragon Health Institute President Brian Blase discusses the findings of
a new report looking at the impact government policies have on hospital
and health care costs.
https://www.c-span.org/program/washington-journal/brian-blase-on-hospital-system-impact-on-health-care-cost-crisis/678029
I believe Brian Blase was a presidential aid for domestic health care
policy in the first Trump administration, but I only remember him from
C-SPAN appearances.
His organization just released a paper blaming hospital network
consolidation for being the huge factor in rising cost of health care
and that this is the most rapidly growing area of federal spending.
He barely touched on the Affordable Care Act, instead largely addressing >Medicare and Medicaid spending. For our Canadian friends, it's the
federal government that sets reimbursements for both programs, even
though Medicaid is administered by states and is a joint state/federal >program. Medicare supplements for Parts B (outpatient) and D (drugs)
simply pay at prices already set by the government. Patients still pay
annual deductibles and co-pays even with Medicare supplements, but
Medicaid actually covers a lot more than Medicare and there is no annual >deductible nor co-pay to meet. Plenty of seniors can be on Medicare as >primary payer then Medicaid for deductibles and co-pay for what Medicare >covers, and Medicaid as primary payer for what Medicare does not cover, >especially nursing homes. Due to nursing home payments, Medicaid is
mainly a program for the elderly and not families with young children >although they are part of the program.
ACA is private insurance at fixed rates, sort of, for those under
Medicare age. Like everyone on private insurance, government
reimbursement levels are followed by private insurance even for patients
too young for Nedicare.
As I discussed in another post, consolidations are driven by a federak >program that forced drug companies to sell at steep discounts drugs for >patients on Medicaid. The networks, which are both hospitals and clincis >consolidated into the hospital, mark up the drug price to the patient in >order to bill insurance for the nondiscounted rate.
While I agree with Blase's problem statement, his discussion of
solutions was weak and I'll have to read his organization's
recommendations.
He said Trump is seeking higher reimbursement for primary care
physicians as opposed to specialists. While that could be a good thing,
I've seen my mother's bills. Her specialists were not receiving
outrageous payments for clinics. Instead, the tests -- entirely blood
work -- cost double or triple the office visit.
What's troubling is his continuing praise of the Trump administration.
Trump, personally, has no objection to consolidation in other
industries. Hell, if he has any kind of relationship with a CEO, he
favors consolidation.
The market is terribly distorted because incentive in federal law favors >consolidation and Trump of all people will not push Congress to address
this.
The best one can say about socialized medicine is that, yes, it can be >administered in a less ineffective manner but I don't see how a
marketplace solution in favor of patients is possible as long as it
continues to exist. Government isn't a monopsony but it has such a huge >percentage of what it buys in the marketplace that it might as well be.
His organization just released a paper blaming hospital network
consolidation for being the huge factor in rising cost of health care
and that this is the most rapidly growing area of federal spending.
He barely touched on the Affordable Care Act, instead largely addressing >Medicare and Medicaid spending. For our Canadian friends, it's the
federal government that sets reimbursements for both programs, even
though Medicaid is administered by states and is a joint state/federal >program. Medicare supplements for Parts B (outpatient) and D (drugs)
simply pay at prices already set by the government. Patients still pay
annual deductibles and co-pays even with Medicare supplements, but
Medicaid actually covers a lot more than Medicare and there is no annual >deductible nor co-pay to meet. Plenty of seniors can be on Medicare as >primary payer then Medicaid for deductibles and co-pay for what Medicare >covers, and Medicaid as primary payer for what Medicare does not cover, >especially nursing homes. Due to nursing home payments, Medicaid is
mainly a program for the elderly and not families with young children >although they are part of the program.
ACA is private insurance at fixed rates, sort of, for those under
Medicare age. Like everyone on private insurance, government
reimbursement levels are followed by private insurance even for patients
too young for Nedicare.
As I discussed in another post, consolidations are driven by a federak >program that forced drug companies to sell at steep discounts drugs for >patients on Medicaid. The networks, which are both hospitals and clincis >consolidated into the hospital, mark up the drug price to the patient in >order to bill insurance for the nondiscounted rate.
While I agree with Blase's problem statement, his discussion of
solutions was weak and I'll have to read his organization's
recommendations.
He said Trump is seeking higher reimbursement for primary care
physicians as opposed to specialists. While that could be a good thing,
I've seen my mother's bills. Her specialists were not receiving
outrageous payments for clinics. Instead, the tests -- entirely blood
work -- cost double or triple the office visit.
What's troubling is his continuing praise of the Trump administration.
Trump, personally, has no objection to consolidation in other
industries. Hell, if he has any kind of relationship with a CEO, he
favors consolidation.
The market is terribly distorted because incentive in federal law favors >consolidation and Trump of all people will not push Congress to address
this.
The best one can say about socialized medicine is that, yes, it can be >administered in a less ineffective manner but I don't see how a
marketplace solution in favor of patients is possible as long as it
continues to exist. Government isn't a monopsony but it has such a huge >percentage of what it buys in the marketplace that it might as well be.
| Sysop: | Tetrazocine |
|---|---|
| Location: | Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
| Users: | 15 |
| Nodes: | 8 (0 / 8) |
| Uptime: | 164:42:32 |
| Calls: | 216 |
| Calls today: | 1 |
| Files: | 21,502 |
| Messages: | 82,649 |