[Beef]

As an outsider who funds this insanity, I have a few observations:

1. The Govt needs to completely retool its thinking. Not going to happen, of course. But in the private (for profit) healthcare sector, saving money is required. Department heads who trim money off of departmental budgets are given cash bonuses for saving. Those who do not receive poor evaluations or are fired.

2. Dump the use it or lose it mentality (which is a fact, not a mindset.) Again, ain't happening. Submit a realistic budget each year for the next FYI that is independent of what was spent last year. Based only on real projections. Have some emergency funding system in place to cover unexpected expenses that may arise.

3. Hold agency and department heads accountable and fire those who are not fiscally responsible.

There is a huge Army Corps of Engineers facility here. It mostly employs civilians. I know dozens of them and I hear the same complaints that you guys have. they are all extremely frustrated. If the Govt were a private concern, it'd have gone the way WorldCom years ago.

The healthcare industry is bloated and out of control fiscally. But it's finally broken the code that it has to cut costs. As a provider, I have received a 40% reduction in income over the last 2.5 years This is largely due to a decrease in reimbursement to providers by Medicare/Medicaid. Private insurance rates are largely multiples of those. I can't wait to see what Obamacare does for the private sector! Further Increases the in bureaucracy and decrease in provider reimbursement!