Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Speak for yourself, Newsweek

You might be joyfully admitting what anyone with half a brain already knew. But don't include me in your masturbatory celebration.

And since we're on the subject of socialism, and rifling through Curmudgeonly and Skeptical, let's also throw up a link to the Socialized Healthcare portion of the Spendulus Bill, shall we?

Doctors have to join the federal community here in dolling out treatment so that it's fair and equitable. "Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity," Betsy McCaughey writes, "goes too far. Hospitals and doctors that are not 'meaningful users' of the new system will face penalties. 'Meaningful user' isn't defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose 'more stringent measures of meaningful use over time' (511, 518, 540-541). What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment? The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the 'tough' decisions elected politicians won't make. The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle's book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs.

What does that mean? It means that it's another step towards government control of healthcare. And when the FedGov is paying for it, THEY decide who gets treated. There are people in Great Britain waiting two years for a hip replacement because it's not a "life threatening" ailment. There are people pulling out their own teeth because the National Health Service in Britain can't get them into a dentist's office. There are Canadians coming down to America and paying for their healthcare out of pocket because they can't get the treatment they need in Canada, or they can't get it on time to do them any good.

The Federal Government destroyed our economy. I'm sure they'll just do a GREAT job with our healthcare system, right?

Pardon me while I vomit.

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