GOP Senators Start Online "Doctor" Show

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

(CBS)

It was no surprise when President Obama turned to his vast online resources to try and win support for his health care agenda. Now Republicans are trying to tap into the potential of the Internet to push their own health care ideas. Two Republican senators -- senators who happen to have medical degrees -- launched an online show today called "Senate Doctors."

Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) will host the show every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Barrasso is an orthopedic trauma surgeon and former president of the Wyoming Medical Society, and Coburn is a family practice physician specializing in obstetrics. The senators will have guests on their show to discuss policy, as well as the "questions, stories, concerns and comments about health care proposals" from their constituents, according to a release.

"We all agree that health care needs reform," Barrasso said in a statement. "Having practiced medicine for over two decades in Wyoming, I know that the devil is in the details. It deserves a serious, open, and transparent national debate. 'Senate Doctors' will allow more Americans to participate in that discussion."

Their debut show this afternoon did not include guests but featured video questions from people visiting the National Mall in Washington. The Web site showed today's episode garnered a little more than 400 viewers at one point.

Coburn gave some of his personal history at the opening of the show, sharing that he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 26 and again just a few years ago.

"I have had tremendous experience not only as a physician but also as a patient," he said.

The senators said reform should focus on prevention and management of chronic disease. In response to a video question from "Joyce from Virginia" about health care options for retirees, Barrasso said people should have a larger number of plans to choose from.

"You can buy your car insurance from a lizard -- why can't you shop around" for health insurance? he asked.

Barrasso and Coburn also criticized the idea of comparative effectiveness research, which aims to find the best treatments at the best prices.

Patients and doctors should decide on treatments, "rather than somebody from the government making a decision because it looks right in the tables," Coburn said. He said a doctors develop "judgment that doesn't fit the book -- it fits the patient."

Viewers of the show can send questions and comments to the senators via e-mail, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter from show's Web site.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »

6 Comments +

Add a Comment


by mattcat25 July 10, 2009 10:04 AM EDT: Republican supporters will fall for anything they see on the tay-vee.
Doctors will be able to treat at needed instead of BIG INSURANCE FOR PROFIT COMPANIES determining what kind of treatment, or drugs can be administered. Not to mention the costs, Private Insurance Carriers and Big Pharmaceutical Companies have brought the United States to this point of ineffecient and costly health NOCare.

It's time for change.; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso29 July 9, 2009 11:23 PM EDT: "Coburn gave some of his personal history at the opening of the show, sharing that he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 26 and again just a few years ago."

Hmmm yes. Coburn. That Republican Senator who knew about the affair of Ensign and his mom and dad's pay offs for months and did not even have enough respect for Ensign's wife to tell her... yeah--his ethical standards are sooooo high--a real stand up piece of &^*%!!!

As for Doctors tailoring treatments to patients--that is a bunch of bull. Drs are told to not look for zebras but for horses and that 98% of diseases are run of the mill. Drs routinely do not take lab specimens, do not use diagnostic tools and often it is only months later after a patient has not been 'cured' by a course of antibiotics, or the symptoms get worse or they decide the it really is not in the patient's head, does usually a different doctor finally order tests to get to the bottom of things. Not to mention the Drs' over use of the PDR but failure to seek out contraindications of certain drugs to each other and failure to understand or consult the Pharmacopeas.

Drs. only represent another group of Americans who can kill their patient, botch their job and still retain their job AND be paid for all of that instead of being fired. Drs are not interested in universal healthcare because individual doctors would lose the autonomy to charge what they want (what the market would bear) and their lucrative 'career' would be for nought; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso29 July 9, 2009 11:16 PM EDT: Doctors can't diagnose or prognose or prescribe medicine without actually seeing a patient. So what in the world is this? Also, NO ONE with a financial interest in the outcome of health insurance programs should be listened to when it comes to what is best for the country. Because they are more likely to tell us what is best for them and their own pocketbooks, not the publics. Dodd is compromised and the GOP is also--having never actually considered the plans for universal healthcare and we are tired of hearing that it just is a wrong idea. We are not likely to listen to a couple of Republican shills on the subject. They should look for their viewers to be about 18%. The same 18% that loves Palin, defends Sanford and Gingrich and think Cheney and Bush are saints. From everyone else: NO THANKS.; Reply to this comment


by rvgirl July 9, 2009 6:02 PM EDT: Their greed knows no bounds.

I'm sure taxpayers are paying for it since they are employed by us, They also have 100% taxpayer paid healthcare, that the rest of us don't get.

I would like to slap these babies right off the air and send THEM to the doctor.; Reply to this comment