Letter: Fred wrong on Obamacare

Figures never lie, but liars sure can figure

Fred has once again lost contact with reality and is giddy with anticipation of the arrival of the tragedy of Obamacare. Donley County is blesses with a large population of well seasoned and highly experienced citizens who will suffer mightily at the hands of the ever compassionate and evenhanded IRS who will administrate Obamacare. Medical necessity will be one of those phrases that falls into disuse and will be replaced by cost effectiveness or benefit to government.

Money is a consideration in every aspect of our lives but it is only one factor in the individual’s decision making process. When we are responsible for our own medical decisions, we can choose to make a sacrifice for our family’s health. Insurance companies and an invasive government will make decisions based only on today’s cost and not on long term benefit for the person. The Death Panels will determine if you qualify for medical care and it will be cheaper to let Grandpa die than to treat him and once he is gone he is no longer a liability to Social Security or Medicare. That is also a big win for the Democrats because well seasoned citizens tend to be more conservative in their voting patterns.

Research and innovation are expensive, no doubt about that and it does not even mention the regulatory costs paid in bringing a new drug or procedure to the market. New ideas will prove costly to government because people want to try the new things because it may help them feel better. Clearly the development of new drugs will not be encouraged because of the cost to government. I think that we can depend on FDA to stop all new drugs in their tracks and Obamacare will not even be blamed. There will never be a cure for juvenile diabetes, breast cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s, or liver disease for no reason other than it has a big pricetag. As antibiotic resistant pathogens become antibiotic immune, millions will die a horrible death as there will be no replacements in the product pipeline. Yet government will call this progress.

Let me close with a few questions.

If Obamacare is so good and we are all going to love it, why did congress exempt themselves from it?

If it is so wonderful, why did Obama delay the startup until after the midterm elections?

Would you put your heart surgery out on bids and choose the lowest bidder?

Why does not a felony conviction prevent felons from signing on as HMO providers?

Would you go to Mexico for brain surgery because it is cheaper?

Would you amputate your child’s arm because it is cheaper than a surgical repair?

Would you refuse treatment for your child’s leukemia because she might die anyway?

I did not say they were questions that would provide you with any comfort about the future of medicine in America.

Richard Sheppard, DDS,

Clarendon