4 ms·

I doubt anyone in Congress or the White House working to repeal the ACA reads the New England Journal of Medicine.

grzm 10y ago
It's a pretty prestigious journal. It's likely that aides to senators and representatives in key positions, as well as it being forwarded from interested constituents will make sure that the article makes the rounds. And it's generally good political practice to keep informed on the moves made by major players. Likely people in the White House know about it as well.
- dghughes 10y ago
  > It's a pretty prestigious journal... It is but these days it can hard to know going by past reputation alone. There seems to be a push by some sleazy publishers to buy prestigious medical journals and then take money to publish questionable studies. Even the watchdogs who have tried to warn everyone have given up (or were forced to shut up). http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/website-tracking-so-called-predatory-publishers-taken-offline-1.3251792 http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/website-tracking-so-called-pred...
  - grzm 10y ago
    While I appreciate the skepticism, and it is sad that there is an apparently increasing number of questionable journals out there, do you have any evidence that NEJM is one of them? They're currently run by the NEJM Group, which is controlled by the Massachusetts Medical Society. http://www.massmed.org http://www.massmed.org
    - dghughes 10y ago
      No I'm not saying NEJM is I was trying to raise awareness of the situation. That's good to know NEJM is run by a stable group.
- jbigelow76 10y ago
  When I say "read" I mean take the time to understand it and put thoughtful consideration into it. Repealing Obamacare is an idealogical imperative to most Republican legislators, it's intrinsic to their identity now. Awareness of what they probably consider propaganda is not the same as "reading" it.
projektfu 10y ago
They might not, but they are probably lobbied by doctors, hospital administrators, and insurance executives, all of whom are likely to at least skim the top medical journals.
- maxxxxx 10y ago
  I don't think any of these groups care much about affordable Care.
  - rdtsc 10y ago
    Our HMO we used at old job hated ACA. At least their representative told us that informally. Another doctor I know also does not like. Someone who is self-employed with a pre-existing condition really likes it. It was hard for them to get insurance before.
    - maxxxxx 10y ago
      The US system certainly makes a lot of money for providers and insurances. Otherwise it would be cheaper. The money must be going somewhere. These people don't want change.
      - rdtsc 10y ago
        > These people don't want change. Well, unless the change brings them more money. In this case I guess it didn't.
  - rrock 10y ago
    Not so. Here's what one prominent hospital administrator (and academic physician) has to say about it. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170124/OPINION/170129946/go-ahead-and-fix-the-affordable-care-act-but-dont-repeal-it http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170124/OPINION/1701...
  - moioci 10y ago
    Some articles have suggested that ACA repeal poses an existential threat to rural hospitals and even the private healthcare industry, so those groups definitely care about remaining in business.

grzm 10y ago

It's a pretty prestigious journal. It's likely that aides to senators and representatives in key positions, as well as it being forwarded from interested constituents will make sure that the article makes the rounds. And it's generally good political practice to keep informed on the moves made by major players. Likely people in the White House know about it as well.

dghughes 10y ago
> It's a pretty prestigious journal... It is but these days it can hard to know going by past reputation alone. There seems to be a push by some sleazy publishers to buy prestigious medical journals and then take money to publish questionable studies. Even the watchdogs who have tried to warn everyone have given up (or were forced to shut up). http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/website-tracking-so-called-predatory-publishers-taken-offline-1.3251792 http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/website-tracking-so-called-pred...
- grzm 10y ago
  While I appreciate the skepticism, and it is sad that there is an apparently increasing number of questionable journals out there, do you have any evidence that NEJM is one of them? They're currently run by the NEJM Group, which is controlled by the Massachusetts Medical Society. http://www.massmed.org http://www.massmed.org
  - dghughes 10y ago
    No I'm not saying NEJM is I was trying to raise awareness of the situation. That's good to know NEJM is run by a stable group.
jbigelow76 10y ago
When I say "read" I mean take the time to understand it and put thoughtful consideration into it. Repealing Obamacare is an idealogical imperative to most Republican legislators, it's intrinsic to their identity now. Awareness of what they probably consider propaganda is not the same as "reading" it.

projektfu 10y ago

They might not, but they are probably lobbied by doctors, hospital administrators, and insurance executives, all of whom are likely to at least skim the top medical journals.

maxxxxx 10y ago
I don't think any of these groups care much about affordable Care.
- rdtsc 10y ago
  Our HMO we used at old job hated ACA. At least their representative told us that informally. Another doctor I know also does not like. Someone who is self-employed with a pre-existing condition really likes it. It was hard for them to get insurance before.
  - maxxxxx 10y ago
    The US system certainly makes a lot of money for providers and insurances. Otherwise it would be cheaper. The money must be going somewhere. These people don't want change.
    - rdtsc 10y ago
      > These people don't want change. Well, unless the change brings them more money. In this case I guess it didn't.
- rrock 10y ago
  Not so. Here's what one prominent hospital administrator (and academic physician) has to say about it. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170124/OPINION/170129946/go-ahead-and-fix-the-affordable-care-act-but-dont-repeal-it http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170124/OPINION/1701...
- moioci 10y ago
  Some articles have suggested that ACA repeal poses an existential threat to rural hospitals and even the private healthcare industry, so those groups definitely care about remaining in business.