Gimme a break!!! (Stimulus rant!)

[aurorahorse]

Eh, we don't care about the tiny little additions to the "stimulus" bill:

Sen. Schumer: Americans Don't Care About Pork In Stimulus - WBAL Radio - wbal.com

That makes me mad, but....he's right, in one way. Many Americans don't care enough to find the pork and to even try to understand it. I posted that link about the gov. and health care from earlier in the thread on my Facebook page, and the only one who responded is my husband. Everyone else is too busy with playing games, etc.

[meems]

OK, while I'm for national healthcare, I am against these steps. Until they're footing the bill, they can take their input and shove it!

But this comes with national healthcare & they WILL be footing the bill...but even so, is it ok for them to determine who deserves what treatment? Isn't EVERY life valuable? It's already a somewhat issue with insurance companies deciding what kind of medications a patient will get over the Dr....they will only cover specific ones, so unless a patient wants to pay OOP, they have to use what insurance will cover. Add the government to that list & watch the corruption grow...as pharmaceutical companies have to "buy" their way into being covered by the government programs.

This is what is currently being practiced in the UK, My MIL is on medicare (medicaid?) she is 89 yrs old..she was just given the infusion for osteoporosis (she shattered 2 vertebrae in her back just opening a window), would they have denied her with this bill? Why do you think this part of the bill was so hush hush? I did hear O mention in his Ft Myers town hall meeting yesterday(WTH, I thought campaigning was over?) about medical records all going online..which is all part of this same program.

[derketchup]

But this comes with national healthcare & they WILL be footing the bill...but even so, is it ok for them to determine who deserves what treatment? Isn't EVERY life valuable? It's already a somewhat issue with insurance companies deciding what kind of medications a patient will get over the Dr....they will only cover specific ones, so unless a patient wants to pay OOP, they have to use what insurance will cover. Add the government to that list & watch the corruption grow...as pharmaceutical companies have to "buy" their way into being covered by the government programs.

This is what is currently being practiced in the UK, My MIL is on medicare (medicaid?) she is 89 yrs old..she was just given the infusion for osteoporosis (she shattered 2 vertebrae in her back just opening a window), would they have denied her with this bill? Why do you think this part of the bill was so hush hush? I did hear O mention in his Ft Myers town hall meeting yesterday(WTH, I thought campaigning was over?) about medical records all going online..which is all part of this same program.

If they run the program, they will have to have some modicum of oversight. But if I want to see a doctor for alternative treatments that I am paying for, how dare they butt in???

I'd be for a system of free market medical care if there were some sort of limitation on lawsuits. I'm convinced that's what jacking up the price.

[tdgirl]

What I am curious about is who would be deciding who gets what medical treatment? A 25 year old who has never had any health problems whatsoever and doesn't see the need for a 70 year old to have knee surgery to ease pain (I bring this example up because a relative had the same thing done.)

[moxi]

What I am curious about is who would be deciding who gets what medical treatment? A 25 year old who has never had any health problems whatsoever and doesn't see the need for a 70 year old to have knee surgery to ease pain (I bring this example up because a relative had the same thing done.)

There in lies the problem when Government gets too much power over our personal lives.

[meems]

If they run the program, they will have to have some modicum of oversight. But if I want to see a doctor for alternative treatments that I am paying for, how dare they butt in???

I'd be for a system of free market medical care if there were some sort of limitation on lawsuits. I'm convinced that's what jacking up the price.

I agree 1000% that tort reform is needed and is a HUGE part of the medical costs..I've posted before, my family Dr. has to pay 100 K a yr in medical malpractice insurance.

Then this can of worms goes into the whole research issue...they will refuse experimental treatments..if those treatments aren't tested, how do we ever make progress? Or is that the plan, shorter life span = 's lower healthcare costs, no? Like I mentioned before..pharm companies are pulling out of R&D already, if they cannot make a profit "if" something comes to market, why in the world would they continue to do research? My DH talked with a pharm research scientist..he had been in his job 25 years..to have NOTHING come to fruition. While yes you are paying a high price for new medications..it is also paying for all those failures that led up to successes.

[meems]

According to this bill, it would be the determined by the Federal Council, and enforced by HHS secretary. (health & human services?)

What I am curious about is who would be deciding who gets what medical treatment? A 25 year old who has never had any health problems whatsoever and doesn't see the need for a 70 year old to have knee surgery to ease pain (I bring this example up because a relative had the same thing done.)