Would Bill Clinton Have Gotten Two Stents Under ObamaCare?
President Clinton went to his cardiologist at 11:30 a.m. on February 11, 2010 — with several days of chest pressure (angina). He was immediately admitted to a hospital and had two stents placed in his coronary arteries. This restored blood flow to his heart muscle and relieved his chest pain. He left the hospital for home at 6 am the next day, ready to return to his busy lifestyle, including helping the Haitian relief efforts.
The Clinton episode could not have occurred at a more instructive time. That very day, a Wall Street Journal story implied that stents for coronary artery disease may be “unnecessary” or produce results that are no different than management by medication alone, especially in light of the findings of the COURAGE trial study, published in 2007. Yet many in the Pay-for-Performance movement ignore the most important results of the study: Stents reduce chest pain faster, return people to active, productive lifestyles and overall make people happier. Sadly, ending suffering in patients is not necessarily viewed as a desirable or necessary result when it costs more money and there is no change in the death or heart attack rate.
