Posted on 08/24/2010 4:31:50 PM PDT by wagglebee
Well, I couldn’t get away to Wyoming without casting a little light on a revealing NYT. On one hand, it castigates critics of Donald Berwick–for, among other things, accusing him of promoting rationing for the USA. It’s all fear mongering, don’t you know. But, we need rationing! From the editorial:
Republicans are also eagerly, and shamefully, pillorying Dr. Donald Berwick, the new head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. There are few figures who command greater respect for uniting health professionals and institutions to improve the quality of medical care while reducing costs. That is not stopping these critics from implying — baselessly — that he will introduce socialized medicine and death panels in this country.
The truth is that Dr. Berwick has praised the socialized British health care system, especially for its emphasis on primary care. This country certainly needs to do more to develop its primary care system. And he has, rightly, called for an open discussion of the health care rationing that is already widespread in our system. When insurers decline to cover procedures, or high prices screen out low-income people, that is rationing.
Dr. Berwick has endorsed the use of “comparative effectiveness” research to determine which treatments work best. He would use such research to judge whether a new drug or procedure is worth the cost of coverage, a step the reform law shies away from. He does not have the power to change that law. But the issue will have to be addressed at some point if there is to be any hope of restraining medical spending.
How dare those anti-rationers pillory a rationing advocate who understands we need rationing! Hilarious.
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After that, he could "use research" to determine if certain foods, cars, houses, clothes are worth their cost. Let's ban every consumer item that the government deems is not worth the cost.
Bump for later
.....[Berwick] would use such research to judge whether a new drug or procedure is worth the cost of coverage....
NOT ONE anti-cancer drug that entered the market since the late 1940s was cost-effective when it was first approved. Then oncologists found out how to use most of the drugs effectively, and began saving lives.
If we don’t allow non-cost effective oncology drugs onto the market, and allow patient access to them, there will be NO innovation in cancer treatment!!!!
The same is true for many drugs in other therapeutic areas.
The new Conservative government in the UK is rethinking its cancer-care system, and “NICE” (the UK’s death panel) in general. And it is moving to restructure the NHS to put patients and doctors back in charge, not “central planning”. They’ve learned from experience that their system is unworkable and inhumane, and stifles innovation. Berwick hasn’t.
Why not repeal or defund obamacare, and stop the needless march into what the UK is trying to get out of? And Berwick, and all those who think like him, have got to go!!!!
The cost of ALL new technology is incredibly high (a decade ago wealthy people were paying $10K+ for large flat-panel TVs, today ordinary people are buying high-quality TVs with bigger screens for $500) and medicine is no different.
As the technology is used more the R&D money is recouped and costs drop. If bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies don't think that their new drugs and procedures will be utilized (and with rationing they won't), they won't have any incentive to pursue new innovations.
You got it!
Except that newly-approved cancer drugs did not work very well (it was not just a matter of cost, but effectiveness). As doctors used them in new ways, their effectiveness went up! (Not true for flat-panel TVs.)
And if America has the same miserly health “care” system as the UK (and other socialist systems), then WORLD innovation will be shut off!!
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