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Steve Bonner tells us what the ruling could mean to those actually working in the Health Care industry
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Issue -- Steve -- CEO of the cancer treatment centers of America joining us this morning from our Chicago bureau Steve good to have you on the program.
Thank you good morning good morning this is first of that you hold on what a ruling could mean to those who are actually working in the health care industry share that with me.
Well -- what we think is that the decision of the Supreme Court is going to be interesting and it's going to be a big media event and it's gonna generate a lot of conversation.
But he at the end of the day it's really not going to have much impact on what happens to the future of health care in America.
What's gonna drive health care in America is what drives every other consumer industry.
And that is the will of the consumer.
And if act falls.
Then we're left with the same challenge we've got today which is we need a much higher quality.
And more reasonable cost the industry we're still gonna have to take on that issue.
If the act is left in place at the other end of the spectrum.
What will happen is we're gonna have an act that implies an enormous amount of bureaucracy that requires a lot of funding.
And there's no political will to fund it so we're still left with the challenge of how we gonna create a healthy health care industry for this country.
-- one of our -- chatters on our live chat moments ago just posted.
We were having a conversation with the previous guests.
Steve about alzheimer's and the crisis that's coming in 2050 with that particular disease with so many people having it.
And one of our viewers commented will what's it gonna be like if the government takes over.
And there's more -- the and you don't have a lot of time -- a disease like alzheimer's between diagnosis and when -- people start forget their lives.
Exactly and that's why we see so many places and health care where the consumer is awakening.
The consumer understands that they can't let government get between them and some of the most personal and intimate choices that are going to be made in their lives.
And so they're starting to take control.
We see it on our website just that cancer treatment centers of America.
Cancer -- dot com is our website and were hosting over a million unique visitors every month.
Who are people interested in getting information about oncology.
Understanding what their options are very few of them actually come to us for care.
But they're out there shopping actively they're not gonna let the government they're not gonna let an insurance company and they're only gonna partner with their employer to decide where they're gonna get their care.
Real quickly before -- -- you know health care is the only one that I know but I have read that others will join the line.
What they've done is they've taken a look at this current law.
The affordable life care act and they've extrapolated the things that they say work about it.
Children being pulled on insurance up to a certain age.
The the notion that if you already have something a preexisting condition you can in fact get -- -- you cannot be discriminated against.
Davis -- they've extrapolated some of those things and put in place saying look we don't care what the US Supreme Court not we don't care about.
It doesn't matter what they do we're gonna keep some of these do you see others may be picking up and why would that be important.
Absolutely I think gotten as another specific in -- -- -- and -- and pretty pretty forthcoming with that I was unaware of United Healthcare -- there I think absolutely I think that.
If you want to find a theme that's gonna emerge from this it's going to be wisdom health care.
And all of us are gonna participate in a way that things differently it's not just about cost.
It's not just about constraining -- forcing people to do things it's gonna be what really makes sense and who knows what makes sense.
And nobody knows what our needs are as consumers better than any of us.
Well intended.
Claims person in Hartford Connecticut and cannot possibly understand what's gonna be most important do you what's gonna add the most your health care.
And how how to make the decision -- to give you that care that you need.
And as we -- more of that we're also gonna naturally.
Take more responsibility for another critical issue that underlies all this and that is simply the wellness and well being of every American.
We have to all -- how we live our lives and what we eat and how we exercise.
And even in cancer that helps make a difference in terms of avoiding that whether or not you're gonna get cancer avoiding cancer.
And managing and effectively when you get it.
So there's gonna do that we're doing that there is there are positives in the Affordable Care Act whether it stands or falls and they -- the whole country talking about this issue it to god is doing exactly what we're doing in this conversation.
And what -- is doing we're working with Cigna with the blues on some of these things.
We're gonna find a Smart way out of this in the private sector's done a lot in the last couple years it's another good thing about.
The Affordable Care Act is that sent a wake up call to all of us and said if you don't want to help us fix -- As part of your natural business processes and supporting the people don't look to you free of their care then government's gonna step in and you're probably not gonna like the result.
Just say interesting and and you know the United Healthcare article that I saw.
Did mention at Niger River the so we can add now -- beat cancer treatment centers of America on that list and probably others as you're saying.
We'll join -- but it's interesting what you said.
It's kind of like what I used to hear Arnold -- -- -- -- when I was growing up if you don't choose life will transport him.
And in this -- you're saying if you don't -- a course businesses and corporations and people out there the government will -- -- Exactly and and people can choose and it's really ironic that.
Health care kind of sits apart in terms of how people think about managing their lives.
Money buy an iPhone they're used to getting -- of quality information price information they decide what's important they buy the product.
And then Blackberry and iPhone get to see what the behavior is and they improve their product or they lose the next sale to.
And it will work that way and health care and we see it.
Every one of the patients who come to cancer treatment centers of America.
Have stepped out of the normal referral pattern and stepped out of their network and almost every case and taken control because.
They found something that they think offers.
A better product the better value a better outcome a better prize.
And they come to us for their care and challenging us to be more forthcoming with that kind of information.
And you and and I -- you said on this program before you work with the different insurance plans but you're saying you're walking out of that network to take control.
-- cancer treatment centers of America house website that you can go to cancer center dot com here it is on your screen.
Steve otter is the CEO.
And we appreciate him coming in ahead of the US Supreme Court ruling now on health care and the Affordable Care -- good to see you have a great weekend -- Thanks.
