Rated.

So true. Every sensible analyst of the medical services scene knows that Obama's "reforms" will eventually result in rationing.

What's next? Genetic selection?

Socialism. Communism. Facism. What is it about this trend that so eludes the understanding of our modern-day liberals. Are history books beyond their grasp?

John, health care rationing is already here. It's just that it is being done by the insurance companies rather than by the government. The difference is that when an insurance company rations health care, they do it simply to control cost without regard to medical efficacy.

Example -- my wife used to work for a chain of skilled nursing facilities. Some of the facilities had health plans that paid out a maximum of $25,000 per year per person. In many cases that wouldn't be enough for a surgery. The health plan also did not cover "injections" -- as in any injections. In other words, any time the doctor approached you with syringe and needle, the plan didn't pay for it. What the injection was for -- chemotherapy, anti-nausea medication, steroid injection for arthritis -- mattered not.

Now I don't know if this is a "hit-and-run" post, or whether you actually want to discuss the issue of health care rationing. If you do want to discuss it, I would be interested to know why it is that health care rationing when done by an insurance company without regard to efficacy is superior to rationing done by government with regard to efficacy. And it seems to me that knowing whether a particular treatment is actually cost-effect would be consistent with a conservative political and economic view.

Gordon writes: "Every sensible analyst of the medical services scene knows that Obama's "reforms" will eventually result in rationing."

Can you name a single health care plan, public or private, that does not involve rationing? If you had a plan that covered everything for all people under all circumstances it would be outrageously expensive, not to mention wasteful.

"Can you name a single health care plan, public or private, that does not involve rationing?"

Of course I can. Mine.

That must be a pretty interesting health plan. I have not heard of the GordonO health plan, nor do I think it is available where I live.

But realistically, what health plan available to the public does not involve rationing? I am unaware of any, even though I spent 21 years working in a large teaching hospital, including 1.5 years in the patient accounts office and 8 years in the financial department.

It seems to me that the whole argument against rationing is bogus, because it's already happening with every health plan in the entire country -- except yours.

So I don't see what the gripe is. Most people get their insurance through employment, and many employers offer only one health plan. Employees have no say in the health plan, and have no control over what is and is not covered -- in other words no control over how the insurance company rations health care. With government-rationed health care you can least vote the rascals out if you don't like the way they do it.

Mishima

Am busy trying to finish a script.

The difference is that the rationing will be determined by a Federal bureaucracy in a national health care system.

A bureaucracy works like a chain saw; everyone's life will not fall into the categories a bureaucracy defines.

In your own health care plan, whatever one you choose, you know what you're getting and what you're not. You decide.

I don't think that will happen when the Feds take over the system.

This scares the hell out of me. I have more ailments (serious ones) than I care to think about, and to think that more people will be deciding if it's medically necessary for me to have treatments covered or prescriptions covered. Last year my prescription health plan denied one of my medications, and oop cost was $1800 monthly. You know what I did, right? Or rather, what I didn't do...I didn't get the prescription, not that month. I have since changed providers and the medication is now paid for.
The other thing that bothers me about the people who are deciding if I need that treatment or those prescriptions, are not necessarily doctors. Not all of them, anyway. That is a pretty disconcerting idea, if you ask me. I know that this all scares the hell out of me, anyone else?

Oh, did I fail to mention that I pay for my health plan? It's a radical concept, I know, but it works for me.