Jack Shapiro - Bush's 2nd Term Agenda -- Healthcare Mostly Ignored

Maywood, NJ (PRWEB) November 15, 2004

Following his election victory President Bush announced his agenda for a second term. “With 45 million people without health insurance, Baby Boomers about to start doubling the number of Medicare enrollees, healthcare costs probably doubling in the next ten years and expected shortages of doctors and nurses in the future, there’s almost no mention of healthcare issues in Mr. Bush’s new agenda,” notes Jack Shapiro an internationally-known healthcare marketing consultant, futurist, broadcast journalist and public speaker.

The chief priorities of the second administration appear to be:

•War on Terror, including further military involvement in Iraq;

•Taxes: Make recent tax cuts permanent and simplify the tax code;

•Social Security: partial privatization;

•Pass a new highways bill;

•Wedge issues such as a constitutional amendments banning gay marriage and flag burning while adding conservative judges (read: anti-Roe v. Wade) to the Supreme Court.

The few healthcare-related ideas in the new agenda, mentioned either by Mr. Bush or his surrogates, include:

•Employers will get more incentives to roll out health savings accounts which allow consumers to set aside pretax funds for future medical expenses;

•New policies resulting from the recent Medicare overhaul are likely to continue intact. Seniors can expect a new prescription-drug benefit in 2006;

•An effort to curb so-called “frivolous” malpractice law suits.

According to Shapiro, “If you’re a Jeffersonian Democrat who believes that the government which governs least governs best, you’ll just love this tepid healthcare agenda. Otherwise, you’re in for huge frustrations as the nation’s healthcare crisis continues to mount.”

Some of the problems with the Bush agenda pointed-out by Mr. Shapiro are:

•The public has been largely uninterested in Medical Savings Accounts;

•Seniors will be furious when they realize the inadequacy of their new prescription drug benefits, especially the so-called “doughnut hole” which provides no benefits after $2250 of expenditures have been reached and doesn’t provide further benefits until annual expenditures reach $5000;

•Mr. Bush will find, even if he can curb so-called frivolous malpractice law suits, that this will have very little effect in reducing the nation’s staggering growth in healthcare costs.

For more information about this situation and it’s impact on the future of healthcare, please contact Jack Shapiro at:

THIS MAN KNOWS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

Jack M. Shapiro, an internationally-known healthcare marketing consultant, futurist, broadcast journalist and public speaker.

Jack includes among his clients major pharmaceutical and insurance companies, advertising agencies, hospitals and manufacturers of medical equipment supplies and devices. Often quoted in the healthcare industry, general business, and lay publications, Jack has been a frequent guest on national television (ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, PBS and abroad on BBC and ITN) and radio as a commentator on healthcare trends and politics in the United States and overseas.

From 1997-1999, he was the host of “MEDI-POLITICS,” a nationally-syndicated radio show focusing on the politics and future of healthcare as well as key legal and ethical issues. The show reached more than 40 markets in 26 states and an audience of 31 million people.

Jack has spent more than 35 years in the healthcare field, both in the U.S. and abroad. Before forming his successful research and consulting company, he held high-level management positions in marketing and market research with healthcare giants such as Wyeth and Pfizer.

He is currently writing a book about the future of American healthcare based on his long experience in the healthcare industry, in-depth interviews with leading experts who appeared on his radio show as well as on-going poll results generated by his market research company.

Recently Jack was the event host of the “Global Pharma R&D Summit” in Scottsdale, Arizona (September 13 – 15, 2004), attended by over 250 top pharmaceutical scientists from around the world.

Jack is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

ARRANGE AN ARTICLE/COLUMN, KEYNOTE SPEECH OR INTERVIEW WITH JACK SHAPIRO ON THESE TOPICS:

.What’s the future of American healthcare?

.What are the latest clinical trial trends?

.Who are the uninsured and the underinsured?

.What’s driving up the cost of healthcare?

.What can people do to save on healthcare costs?

.Healthcare in Bush’s second term agenda and implications for 2006 and 2008 elections    

.Why is ours the “Healthcare Economy?”

.What’s the future for employer provided healthcare?

.Tomorrow’s breakthroughs in biotechnology and surgery: will we be able to afford them?

.Why are so many people turning to “alternative” healthcare?

Visit His Website at http://www.jackshapiro.com:

Jack Shapiro’s 2004 Radio Appearances:

6/29/04: “The George Woods Show”- 710 KCMO Kansas City, MO -“Future of Health Insurance”

6/23/04: “The Todd Ortloff Show”- KONP    Port Angeles, WA- “Life Expectancy”

6/16/04: “The Ruth Koscielak Show”- 950 AM Minneapolis, MN - “Clinical Trials”

5/08/04: “Coping with Caregiving”* - wsradio    Internet - “Future of Healthcare”

4/07/04: “CBS Marketwatch – Moneylife”    -WBIX Boston, MA - “The Underinsured”

*Hear this show archived on http://www.wsradio.com/copingwithcaregiving/050804.htm

JACK M. SHAPIRO

P.O. BOX 1025

Maywood, NJ 09607

Phone: 888-331-3113        

e-mail: JSHEALTH@AOL.COM

Website: http://www.JackShapiro.com

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