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Last night, picked up some of President Obama’s speech on health care bill
he wants to bless us with. The following statement jumped out at me:
"It will keep government out of health care decisions,
giving you the option to keep your insurance if you're happy with it."
Well, that sounds swell except the fact
checker points out: “In House legislation, a commission appointed by the
government would determine what is and isn't covered by insurance plans
offered in a new purchasing pool, including a plan sponsored by the government.
The bill also holds out the possibility that, over time, those standards could
be imposed on all private insurance plans, not just the ones in the pool.”
This commission appointed by the government—how is it
different than a faceless insurance board deciding? How will politics be kept
out of who gets to be on the commission and who will determine the criteria for
their decisions? Can I be on it? Will it be doctors, health care specialist,
insurance gurus, or Barbara Boxer’s niece’s unemployed boyfriend? I have a
feeling that this won’t be a good thing for us.
Chuck Colson has an article on
Christianitytoday.com citing an example of why I have severe doubts about this
commission:
A mentally retarded Georgia teenager suffering from cerebral
palsy had been receiving 94 hours of in-home nursing care from Medicaid per
week, until the state decided to reduce it to 84. The patient's doctor
protested. Her mother sued. Then, in Moore v. Medows,
arguing before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the government attorney
argued that the state is the "final arbiter" of medical decisions.
While the court tried to find middle ground, it affirmed the government's
position, stating, "A private physician's word on medical necessity is not
dispositive."
Read that again: “…it affirmed the government’s position,
stating, ‘A private physician’s word on medical necessity is not dispositive.’”
A doctor’s word is not the final word. The state's word is final and definitive, settling the matter. Medical opinion doesn’t settle the
matter. The state’s opinion does. Huh?? Is this a precursor to the gov’t. having the final word on everything?
I think I’d rather they just nationalized the health care
industry, make all m.d.’s, r.n.’s, pharmacies, etc. into civil servants and pay
them a flat salary like the rest of us poor slugs. Oh wait==they are nationalizing health care,
aren’t they? One would think with all the profits the gov’t will be making off
it’s banks, GM sales, and hospitals we should have that federal deficit knocked
out in no time.