The Shape Of Things To Come III

With the inevitable advent of progressive inspired "health care" legislation in our near future, we can get a glimpse at what is headed our way. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at Washington States health rationing panel and what it has done to people who are using their government inspired "health care" scheme. It's certainly not a pretty sight, but it is what's likely to be foisted on the people who choose to be part of the government plans or those forced into it. I pity those poor folks.

In other words, the Medicare commission would come to function much like the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which rations care in England. Or a similar Washington state board created in 2003 to control costs. Its handiwork isn't pretty.

The Washington commission, called the Health Technology Assessment, is manned by 11 bureaucrats, including a chiropractor and a "naturopath" who focuses on alternative, er, remedies like herbs and massage therapy. They consider the clinical effectiveness but above all the cost of medical procedures and technologies. If they decide something isn't worth the money, then Olympia won't cover it for some 750,000 Medicaid patients, public employees and prisoners.

So far, the commission has banned knee arthroscopy for osteoarthritis, discography for chronic back pain, and implantable infusion pumps for pain not related to cancer. This year, it is targeting such frivolous luxuries as knee replacements, spinal cord stimulation, a specialized autism therapy and MRIs of the abdomen, pelvis or breasts for cancer. It will also rule on routine ultrasounds for pregnancy, which have a "high" efficacy but also a "high" cost.

Currently, the commission is pushing through the most restrictive payment policy in the nation for drug-eluting cardiac stents—simply because bare metal stents are cheaper, even as they result in worse outcomes. If a patient is wheeled into the operating room with chest pains in an emergency, doctors will first have to determine if he's covered by a state plan, then the diameter of his blood vessels and his diabetic condition to decide on the appropriate stent. If they don't, Washington will not reimburse them for "inappropriate care."

If Democrats impose such a commission nationwide, it would constitute a radical change in U.S. health care. The reason that physician discretion—not Washington's cost-minded judgments—is at the core of medicine is that usually there are no "right" answers. The data from large clinical trials produce generic conclusions that rarely apply to individual patients, who have vastly different biologies, response rates to treatments, and often multiple conditions. A breakthrough drug like Herceptin, which is designed for a certain genetic subset of breast-cancer patients, might well be ruled out under such a standardized approach.

It's appalling that so many people will be forced to suffer under such a plan, but it is almost inevitable that this will be the case. The politicians in DC are determined to do something to us, where insurance and "health care" are concerned. Even if it kills us.

Punk And Hockey

What more could you ask for? This one's for Mike.

Happy Birthday, Internet!

It's hard to believe but 40 years ago today the internet was born. Forty years ago there weren't even any personal computers, now we carry them around in our pockets. The internet has changed the way we do everything, from communicating with each other to ordering a pizza. It has invaded almost every facet of our lives unlike any technology I can think of. When we need the most minuscule bits of information we just hop on our computers and, more often than not that information is retrieved in seconds. This post, and the article that reminded me of this significant day were brought to me via that internet. Amazing, that in my lifetime such a thing has occurred.

It's stretched our boundaries and made our "communities" bigger than they otherwise would be. It's certainly enhanced the freedom movement and brought liberty to many a persons thoughts and actions. The internet has brought diverse communities across the globe together. Warned us and informed us of hope, tragedy, tyranny and freedom. Here's hoping that the next 40 do even more to enhance our lives and promote freedom and liberty. Let the next revolution begin!

Happy Birthday, Internet!

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Secret Messages, Indeed.

From dial up to broadband. From wires on poles to satellite up links the internet sure has come a long way in 40 years.


Time for a party!

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