“They don’t call them patients, they call them units” (Sarah was right, again)

Wizbang ^ | November 24, 2011 | Rick Rice

[2ndDivisionVet]

Remember when they laughed off, ridiculed and otherwise denied Sarah Palin’s assertion that Obamacare would usher in death panels?

Listen to this neurosurgeon, fresh from a seminar in Washington DC, tell about what it is that the HHS has in store for seniors:

(AUDIO AT LINK)

The Anchoress calls it what it is. Evil:

So if you are a 70 year-old Nancy Pelosi, or Paul Krugman — with a potent private health insurance plan such as the one enjoyed by Members of Congress and other bureaucrats — you will get every appropriate surgery and treatment applicable.

But if you are a 70 year-old former bookkeeper or waitress on Medicare, well — you have swung your last golfclub or danced your last waltz, because the “ethics panel” that assesses your unithood will have no problem inventing a equation that goes something like, “Potential-Tax-revenues-minus-potential-cost-divided-by-social-and-political-value-equals…a negligible unit.

And you’ll be shuffled off to the room with the big screen full of daffodils and excellent speakers blasting Vivaldi, and made “comfortable.”

Assessing human beings as “units” is Evil. Period, full stop. It is a diabolical disorientation. The only people who do not understand that are people who also have difficulty with that inconvenient old “conscience thing“.

The caller to Levin’s show said he was a neurosurgeon, and of German descent. He mentioned his ancestry at the same time he discussed “units” and admitted he was distressed. The source of his distress was very likely his recognition of a the sort of ruthless efficiency someone in his family once knew first hand, either from one side of the ledger, or the other.

Tell me again that elections don’t matter.

[Marathoner]

it is getting to the point that I favor the Mafia over the U.S. Government, at least the prior will leave you alone unless you owe them money and/or a threat to them.

And at least the Mafia are honest and don't give you a bunch of compassion BS about what they do.

[A_perfect_lady]

I'm not advocating for socialized medicine. I'm saying the time comes that you have to consider two things: can I afford to fight, and is it worth it.

This is true even without socialized medicine. You think your private insurer is more generous than the government will be? Or more honest? Do you think most of us will have several million dollars in our portfolios when we grow old so that we can pay for the treatment that keeps us out of the Vivaldi room?

I get the feeling that most folks on here are convinced that the only thing standing between them and perfect health is the evil government. I'm saying the time will come when someone has to make a choice. I don't know if you'll be much happier accepting death because YOU can't afford the treatment. People here are avoiding the real truth: what you want has to be paid for. If you can't do it, and your insurer won't do it, and the government won't do it, Vivaldi it is.

[Lurker]

I'm saying the time will come when someone has to make a choice.

I want that choice to be mine. I'm not nearly so naive as to believe that the Health Fairy pays for it all, ma'am. But the road to Socialized Medicine ends here:

I'm saying the time comes that you have to consider two things: can I afford to fight, and is it worth it.

As long as it's me and mine considering those issues without interference from some Government droid I'm fine with it. I'm old enough to have learned how the world works.

Have a nice weekend.

[A_perfect_lady]

As I said, I am not advocating for socialized medicine either. I am saying people are focusing on it to avoid focusing on the truth: LIFE ends in death. You have a nice weekend as well.

[Nowhere Man]

And at least the Mafia are honest and don't give you a bunch of compassion BS about what they do.

I know. It is a shame that the country has elected the enemy, the enemy of life. From the Bamster on down, these people who crafted these rules need to be tossed into prison where they belong. Even among average people, the people that would be denied healthcare by some bureaucrat do have friends, family, siblings and so on to where if that would happen, there would be possible repercussions. I know God said, "vengence is Mine," but there will be lots of people who would want "their pound of flesh," so to speak and if I was bureaucrat, I'd be in fear for my life as well as the lives of my family and children. These are not units, these are people's lives, you really cannot put a money value on it. Yes, I know we all die and no matter what, medical science will not save us at some point, but I'd rather put the decision with the patient and failing that, the family, not the government or some faceless bureaucrat.

I went food shopping today, I'm stocking up on 100 watt lightbulbs. I just find it ironic that we live in a country that will give us a choice to kill the unborn but not the choice in the lightbulbs we want to buy or soon, our healthcare. Yakoff Smirnoff was right, "what a country!"

[grumpygresh]

So this is how to ‘fix’ Medicare. Medicare eligibility will rise to 70 at which time one can only receive comfort care for a serious illness.
Better to move to Costa Rica for lower cost health care. At least there, you will have a chance.
zero wants to let seniors to die or force them to retire abroad. The money saved will be for illegals and his homies on Medicaid who will repay him with their votes.
zero is a heinous and dispicable creature that will meet a disastrous fate at judgement. Let us pray that the Lord hastens that day before many good people are sent to an early grave as a result of his evil policies.