They said "Death Panels" Were A Myth. Now The Truth Surfaces

The health care debate still rages. Opponents say it will increase costs, reduce availability of service and is unconstitutional. Supporters say it will cut costs, improve service and is constitutional.

I'll not debate constitutionality - that is for SCOTUS to do.

But for those who think the health care law will cut costs and improve services, here is the latest news --- it appears the "death panels" are not so far-fetched, and the opponents were right about a lot of other things, as well.

The Associated Press reported today that in Illinois, a pharmacist closed his business because of late Medicaid payments. In Arizona, a young father's liver transplant was canceled because Medicaid suddenly won't pay for it. In California, dentists pull teeth that could be saved because Medicaid doesn't pay for root canals.

Across the country, lawmakers have taken harsh actions to try to rein in the budget-busting costs of the health care program that serves 58 million poor and disabled Americans. Some states have cut payments to doctors, paid bills late and trimmed benefits such as insulin pumps, obesity surgery and hospice care.

Lawmakers are bracing for more work when they reconvene in January. Some states face multibillion-dollar deficits. Federal stimulus money for Medicaid is soon to evaporate. And Medicare entollment has never been higher because of job losses.

In the view of some lawmakers, Medicaid has become a monster, and it's eating the budget. In Illinois, Medicaid sucks up more money than elementary, secondary and higher education combined."

Folks, this is only the beginning. When fed funds to states for Medicaid stop, which they are scheduled to do soon, this will get much, much worse. And lest we forget - the FDA recently banned an approved cancer-fighting drug. It was not banned because it was unsafe, or ineffective. It was banned only because it was so expensive, and the government, under the new health care law did not want to have to pay for it. Their decision will result in some patients dying who could have lived (like the fellow needing the liver transplant, above). Death panels?

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