Medical Costs

Regarding your Oct. 25 editorial (“Better Cost Control in Medicine”) on health-care delivery, I was quite disappointed to learn of your enthusiasm for payment of hospital-based radiologists, anesthesiologists and pathologists under fixed diagnosis-related fee schedules as a method of cost containment.

Clearly, this scheme is too limited. Let’s empower the government to control the practices and reimbursement of all doctors. After all, wouldn’t you prefer management of your medical care by a committee of cost-conscious regulators rather than by your own chosen physician? I would.

In fact, I support government intrusion on all aspects of science, industry and commerce and optimistically foresee the day when our health-care system operates as flawlessly as our present postal, Social Security and air-traffic control systems.

And incidentally, after it’s licked medicine perhaps the bureaucracy could find time to regulate the daily activities and remuneration of journalists, lawyers, butchers, bakers and candlestick makers.

RICHARD BRAVERMAN, M.D.

San Diego