"Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them."
Well, I know some "seniors", many of whom voted for Obama, who would vociferously dispute that view. This post is a bipartisan appeal to everyone who wants to maintain control, in partnership with your doctors, of your own medical care. Senators have hidden in the "stimulus plan" health care provisions that will eventually affect most of us who aren't as rich as they, especially seniors. There is an ACT NOW call at the end of this post.
Betsy McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York, brought this critical matter to our attention Monday.
Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.Senators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version).
The plan proposes creation of a health care czar, formally named the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology; that "coordinator" will be responsible for reviewing your provider's decisions to "make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective."
Seniors will be most vulnerable. They will be asked to age gracefully and defer expensive, unnecessary medical treatments recommended by their doctors which might improve their quality of life if they aren't "essential."
Elderly Hardest HitDaschle says health-care reform "will not be pain free." Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.
Medicare now pays for treatments deemed safe and effective. The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost- effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464).
The Federal Council is modeled after a U.K. board discussed in Daschle's book. This board approves or rejects treatments using a formula that divides the cost of the treatment by the number of years the patient is likely to benefit. Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly, such as osteoporosis.
Let's repeat that:
"Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly."In 2006, a U.K. health board decreed that elderly patients with macular degeneration had to wait until they went blind in one eye before they could get a costly new drug to save the other eye. It took almost three years of public protests before the board reversed its decision.
The czar will track everyone's medical treatment:
The bill's health rules will affect "every individual in the United States" (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.
But the bill goes further. ...The National Coordinator will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and guide your doctors decisions (442, 446).
These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis. According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and learn to operate less like solo practitioners.
Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.
New Penalties
Hospitals and doctors that are not meaningful users of the new system will face penalties. Meaningful user isnt 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 wont make.
Why aren't Senators objecting to these provisions, and why haven't they been presented to the American people for review, pursuant to the 5-day
"Sunlight Before Signing" pledge by Obama?
McCaughey explains:
Hiding health legislation in a stimulus bill is intentional.... A year ago, Daschle wrote that the next president should act quickly before critics mount an opposition. "If that means attaching a health-care plan to the federal budget, so be it," he said."The issue is too important to be stalled by Senate protocol."
Thanks Tom. We all know that you can afford any medical treatment you or your family desires because of your savvy wealth-building tricks. But most of my family and friends cannot.
So much for sunlight.
McCaughey concludes:
More Scrutiny NeededOn Friday, President Obama called it "inexcusable and irresponsible" for senators to delay passing the stimulus bill. In truth, this bill needs more scrutiny.
The health-care industry is the largest employer in the U.S. It produces almost 17 percent of the nation's gross domestic product. Yet the bill treats health care the way European governments do: as a cost problem instead of a growth industry. Imagine limiting growth and innovation in the electronics or auto industry during this downturn. This stimulus is dangerous to your health and the economy.
ACT NOWFirst, send this post, or the Bloomberg link, to everyone you know.
Second, complain to your elected officials.
In addition to Democratic representatives, contact the three Republicans who have crossed over to support this bill:
SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS
DC PHONE: (202) 224-2523
DC FAX: (202) 224-2693
AUGUSTA PHONE: (207) 622-8414
AUGUSTA FAX: (207) 622-5884
EMAILS TO CONTACT:
Steve_Abbott@collins.senate.gov
Holly_Nesbit@collins.senate.gov
SENATOR OLYMPIA SNOWE
DC PHONE: (202) 224-5344
DC FAX: (202) 224-1946
BOSTON PHONE: (207) 622-8292
BOSTON FAX: (207) 622-7295
EMAILS TO CONTACT:
John_Richter@snowe.senate.gov
Anna_Levin@snowe.senate.gov
SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER
DC PHONE: (202) 224-4254
DC FAX: (202) 228-1229
HARRISBURG PHONE: (717) 782-3951
HARRISBURG FAX: (717) 782-4920
EMAILS TO CONTACT:
Scott_Hoeflich@specter.senate.gov
Maria_Plakoudas@specter.senate.gov
Christopher_Bradish@specter.senate.gov
thomas_dower@specter.senate.gov
seema_singh@specter.senate.gov
corene_ashley@specter.senate.gov
regina_campbell@specter.senate.gov
gayle_mills@specter.senate.gov
(h/t Hillbuzz for the contact info)
There's more...
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