but here s thing, we don t know how much of a threat this variant really is to us. we know it s got a lot of mutations, but we don t know how rapidly it spreads. it would have to outcompete the delta variant. viruses are trying to find a home. they re trying to find a host. the delta variant has a huge advantage because it s so highly transmissable. there s signs of trouble with this, but we don t know clinically whether it will spread to the extent that delta is or even more. griff: c. siegel, we re hearing across the country that this new omicron is a variant of concern, as you mentioned it, but what does that mean? well, it means two things. first it means three things. first of all, is it going to be more severe than the other variants of the virus in terms of the disease it causes. that hasn t happened yet. looking back at pandemic histories, viruses tend to get with milder over time because they want to survive.
you re going to getreal shoddy care. and the other thing, megyn, to your other point, at the statewide level state commissioners are already looking to make sure that insurance companies don t have huge increases in premiums. absolutely. that s part of their job. right. you can see it collectively. exactly. megyn: let many ask you let me ask you this, c. siegel, was i have heard doctors say they are not going to comply with putting the medical records online, that they re just not going to do it, they re going to keep it confidential because they have the same concern you have which is my patients are going to stop being honest if they think this information is going to go online. are you hearing any of that? completely. and i also think that s related to the whole issue of being reimbursed from the stimulus bill for going online. a lot of doctors are still sticking with paper charts, and the ones that are going to electronic are trying to keep them in a certain system
approved, what tests should be approved. megyn: that is what you were saying before the law passed, we re going to start looking more like canada because bureaucrats are going to be making decisions on cost-effective treatment. megyn: well, we welcome comment from the health and human services secretary on this. love to hear it. so far it s this kansas, well, republican congressman tim huelskamp of kansas who says you need to worry, and you need to worry about what happens if, you know, a laptop gets stolen. suddenly it s real people s information that s out there forever online. and you know once they tell you to take it down, you can, but it s still there. it s out there. your private medical information? i don t know. panel, thank you. thanks, megyn. megyn: a brand new sympathy card from the folks at hallmark, but this one is a frightening sign of the times for america s economy. plus, dr. siegel should listen to this one. 23,000 nurses go on strike, and a patient dies because o