Rationing Health Care
This is Scott Gottlieb on the proposed Federal Health Board:
Like Medicare's recent decisions to curtail the use of virtual colonoscopies, certain wound-healing devices, and even a branded asthma drug, the board's decisions will be one-size-fits-all restrictions….. In countries such as France and Germany, layers of bureaucracy like health boards have been specifically engineered to delay the adoption of new medical products and services, thus lowering spending.
In Germany…..in the past 12 months, the 15 medical products and services that cleared this process spent an average 35 months under review. (The shortest review was 19 months, the longest 51.)
Medicare can already be painstakingly slow. Appealing to it takes patients an average 21 months according to a 2003 Government Accountability Office report (17 months involve administrative processing).
The names alone of the French and German organizations suggest price-fixing by cartels of insurers: Surely that’s not what the advocates of a government take-over of U.S. health care envision! And the doctors, hospitals, device-makers, drug-makers, etc., surely don’t just accept the prices that these state-appointed guardians dictate: There must be incredibly high investments in lobbying.
Obama health reform is beginning to sound very scary.
Just remember, care delayed is care denied.
Until Congress comes up with a plan for the American people that the members of the Senate and Congress are required to participate in as well, the plan will never have the accountablility that a plan of this magnitude demands. Any plan that our congressmen don’t embrace for themselves can’t be good for the people of America.
Some of the funds to cover “Obamacare” will come from Medicare cuts. Any cut in Medicare translates into less care for anyone who is on Medicare. The insured will out of necessity have to go to either private coverage or you guessed it – “Obamacare” because private coverage will by then be cost prohibitive and that is the “gotcha”. I don’t believe a word of Obama’s rhetoric. Sure “you can keep your Doctor”, sure “you can keep your current health plan” but what he’s not saying is he’ll make it so difficult for you, you’ll have (read forced out of necessity) to switch over to Obamacare of your own volition. Then you’ll be greeted with high costs anyway, rationed health care and decision making by a bunch of bureaucratic lawyers in Washington. No thanks. Washington can’t run itself or any other national program its ever tried. Its time to run the career politicians out of Washington and get folks in there from all walks of life for limited terms who will work “for the people”. What a novel idea.
Tony
Right on, Tony! This all seems like such a no-brainer to me. Government run healthcare? Like tony said, “Washington can’t run itself or any other national program its ever tried.” Wake up Americans and take responsibility for yourselves instead of relying on politions with agendas designed to bring us to our knees. Get busy, do your homework, and get involved by calling your representatives and senators before they (politions) deal us the final blow.
Oops! I do know how to spell “politicians.”
That’s OK, Carrie. Most of them can’t spell it either, based on their performance in other areas.
Amen! There are so many arms and legs to this legislation that will threaten the financial standing and health status of our great nation. I cannot believe I am seeing this type of sweeping government interference in our lives in my lifetime! I read the actual bills last month and was horrified! God bless the work you are doing to educate an American public who apparently thinks the public plan is like a triple rocky road ice cream cone that’s also free! Wake up America!