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Thu, 11 Apr 2002 22:37:08 -0500

Caesar,
    Remember all that cigarette mega-lawsuit money? And the asbestos
settlements? What the lawyers didn't get in fees is primarily building
roads, courthouses, etc. Comparatively little actually went to healthcare,
even though that was the selling point. The major interest is not patients
or trauma care; it's the revenue. Why?
    Tomorrow, California will unveil options calling for a major overhaul on
health-care financing. The proposed alternatives include expanding health
insurance coverage through modifications in existing programs and three
proposals calling for a transition to a single-payer system.
    Single payer, which is receiving considerable attention, would replace
private insurance and HMOs with a publicly financed, privately delivered
system covering 31 million Californians with comprehensive benefits, and
would be administered by the state.
    We've been taking Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement at 10-40%  of the
usual and customary because we can pass on additional cost to our insured
patients...now there will be no one to take up the slack.

Denny Carr CRNA


----- Original Message -----
From: "caesar ursic" <cmursic@yahoo.com>


> Esteemed colleagues:
> Tomorrow (Friday), California State Senator Don Perata
> will hold a press conference here in Oakland to
> introduce a proposal to tax the sale of bullets.
> Revenues from the tax would be disbursed among state
> trauma centers to help cover the costs of trauma care.
>
> The basic premise of Perata's proposal is:
> "...gunshots are among the most expensive injuries to
> treat...most victims are non-insured...a majority of
> trauma centers take a financial loss to serve the
> trauma needs of their communities...gunshots are a
> preventable cost to society...taxing bullets will help
> offset this cost..."
>
> If approved by the California State Legislature, the
> measure would require voter approval in November of
> this year.  Where it would go from there if the voters
> make it law is anybody's guess, but as they say.."as
> does California, so eventually does the rest of the
> country..."  (I apologize to all the non -US list
> participants, as this post may not really be relevant
> outside the US - or maybe it is...)
>
> So my question to you all is:
> How many of you agree with this proposal, and why?
> Would you be willing to support it if and when it
> became an issue in your state or community?
>
> Please do NOT turn this into another Second Amendment
> discussion.  Keep it relevant to healthcare and what
> you see as best for your patients.  Is a bullet tax a
> viable option?
> Thanks.
>
> Caesar M. Ursic, M.D.

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Taxing Bullets