Here Come Health Care Rationing

[Teresa]

The photo op was too good to be true. Healthcare providers trooped out of the White House and trumpeted their goal of saving $1.7 trillion of costs over the next decade in health spending. Now these drug companies, hospitals, insurance companies, medical device manufacturers, labor unions and doctors have laid out their plans in more detail.

And right there, in plain print, is the beginning of medical care rationing. Now that the cameras have been put away and the media is no longer watching, their secret emerges: They are going to cut medical costs by cutting medical care. Right now, they cite four targets. They plan to:

1. Cut diagnostic imaging tests like MRIs and CAT scans.

2. Reduce the use of antibiotics.

3. Perform fewer Caesarean sections.

4. Cut care for management of chronic back pain

These decisions will not be medical but financial. They will not be based on a doctor's opinion of what his or her patient needs, but a bureaucrat's and an accountant s opinion of what the new health care system can afford.

And you will not be able to bypass their rulings and pay for this care yourself. The rules laid down must be followed and private payments will not be permitted to override them. What we now call a private fee for service will metastasize into a bribe.

But this is just the very beginning of rationing. The total of health care spending now runs about $2.3 trillion a year in the United States. Over ten years, that's likely to reach $30 trillion. So a cut of $1.7 trillion is a mere drop in the bucket.

More rationing is coming, and coming soon.

In our new book (coming out on June 23rd), "Catastrophe," we explain exactly what rationing will mean and what it has done to patient care in Canada.

It's not a pretty picture and Obama will bring it here soon unless we stop him. Forewarned is forearmed!

http://www.newsmax.com/morris/dick_morris_health_care/2009/06/07/222524.html

[pamsback]

HMO's have been doin this for about what 30 years now? You have to convince the head bean-counter at your "health management organization" (what they USED to call hospitals and insurance companies) that you NEED whatever or they disallow it and may disallow it ANYway. This ain't anything new and it ain't Obama's idea. There is plenty of documentation of people who have been denied what they needed because their "insurance" would not cover it and have died or been seriously impacted in their health.
Insurance companies and hospital boards are the ones who started THIS ball rollin.

[Jo McDonald]

Yes HMO has been like this, BUT the other insurance companies have not.  So if this ball rolls like the big shots want - then EVERYONE will be affected. 
And turning your back and saying," oh well - we already have this sort of thing"  just gives them a nod that all is well, and go ahead and pull the sheet out from under everyone .  There is waaaay too much "change" as far as I'm concerned and he is running like a bat out of Hades with every single thing that comes up.

[pamsback]

  I don't have insurance...I can't afford it. I pay cash to go to the doctor once a year to get my blood pressure and heart stuff refilled...other than that I do my best to doctor all of us myself. We use preventative measures instead of runnin to the doctor.
  I haven't has antibiotics for YEARS...only Joe has insurance thru his job and it doesn't cover MUCH, a visit last winter still cost us around 400 dollars. I don't like the insurance industry period.

[Tobina+1]

I'm very fortunate; my company pays 100% of my insurance.  I think my co-pay is $25 for Dr. visits, maybe $100 for ER.  I get 2 dentists checkups every year, but only 1 vision checkup every 2 years.  BUT... start adding dependents and it's CRAP!  $315 PER MONTH for children (not per child, but there may be a limit as to how many that pays for).  An additonal $450 for spouse!  Luckily, Chuck's company pays insurance, too.

[Teresa]

Self employed  people take it where the sun don't shine. Derek's premium is extra for Rochelle and  for 2 yr old  Mason  is well over $300 a month.

[Ole Granny]

Self-employed and add some health problems and it would be close to $500.00 a month.  Been there done that.  Med ;Diicare

[Teresa]

yep... Mine is almost $400 month.. Mark pays more cause he was in the hospital a few years back . Derek's is horrible cause he has both knees that have had about 7 surgery's.. plus he has Mason and Mouse( my pet name for  Rochelle  )
so with the 3 of us.. they get about $1500.00 a month.
Robbery ..pure and simple.

[Jo McDonald]

Fred and I pay $600.00 + for our Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  But let me tell you this, the heart valve replacement that he had this past November came to just a little under 1/2 million dollars.  If you think for one minute that I am ever going to fuss about our premiums,
you have another thought coming.  There is NO way we could ever get an amount like that paid off in the rest of our life time.
  We do not go to the Dr. unless it is absolutely necessary, we try to take good care of ourselves, but knowing we have insurance coverage is truly a comforting thought.

[Teresa]

Yeah.. great when you need it.. but on the other hand.. WHEN you use it.. then they $$ up $$ your premiums..
Don't take into account that you have paid in for 20 years and NOT used it..

sighhhhhhhhhh.. I don't know... The insurance ..all of it in my opinion ( which amounts to flipping zip) is such a corruptly run scam...