Bloomberg Article (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs)
Every American needs to read this article. I'm sorry but if anyone here supports this stimulus package you need your head examined, and I'm opposed to you with every fiber of my being.
From the article:
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. He praises Europeans for being more willing to accept "hopeless diagnoses" and "forgo experimental treatments," and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system.
...
Daschle 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).
This is about an evil a bill as I've seen in some time. The elderly should just learn to "deal with it?" A body appointed to decide who is worthy of treatment and who isn't?
Congratulations, all you who voted for Obama. Now in addition to killing the unborn, his new "stimulus" bill contains provisions to deny critical treatment to the elderly.
Developing new drugs isn't what's driving costs up for drug manufacturers. It's been proven that in their budgets, 80%+ is used for advertising. Not just the stupid pens and pencils that you see in the doctor's office, but the parties the drug reps that go out and do these parties in doctor's offices, the free trips for doctors that use their products, tickets to special events, trips out of the country (supposedly for conferences but are really big parties) and so much more.
Drug companies pay huge donations to med schools so they can teach that THEIR drugs are the best, and they bash the competition. Doctors come out of med schools not being HEALERS but being agents of drug companies that treat symptoms only and very few really try to find the source of the problems to get rid of the health problem.
I really don't like my health care taken care of by someone who was won over by one drug company over another, so I'm not really getting the best care, I'm getting health advice by someone won over by who can give the best freebies.
I wish it were illegal for drug companies to do this. If it were, it would drop drug prices, or at least keep them on an even keel for awhile.
Great. The first step towards bioethics policies. *sigh*