Article on Planned Parenthood offered biased portrayal, and other letters

Although I have been a follower of your publication for some time, I was disturbed by an article in the Sept. 14 issue, “Cuts to Planned Parenthood have troubling impact on states”. This article was blatantly pro-choice biased and painted an inaccurate portrayal of Republican legislators as the proverbial wolves in sheep's clothing out to demean modern women back to the Stone Age.

If you want to assert your political spin, do it through a lobbyist, not in a publication aimed at educating providers with the latest information.

Ellen Cantrell

Regarding “Hip and knee bundled payment test could be DOA without major changes”, I believe the goal of the proposed bundled-payment program is to fundamentally change the way care is delivered.

Bundled payments are not new; DRG and RUG-based reimbursements have been here for some time. It might be best to review some of the results being achieved in the current voluntary bundled-payment programs, in which all of these commenting providers can participate.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has started a process to develop a post-acute-care service bundled-payment methodology, so providers may get what they are asking.

Perhaps there can be more review time and structural improvements, but this seems like the kind of effort needed to achieve the National Quality Strategy and needs to be supported.

Ed Gamache