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Current Care Kills More Than 'Army of Death Panels'

System 'takes lives and breaks apart families'

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 30, 2009 8:09 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Despite screeches that a government-run health care program will bump people into an early grave, "it’s a good bet that our existing dysfunctional health system knocks off far more people than an army of ‘death panels’ could, even if they did exist," writes Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times. The current system allows 18,000 “unnecessary deaths” yearly among the uninsured, a study found. That's one person every half hour.

The system also rips apart families with overwhelming medical costs, Kristof notes. He tells the story of a woman whose husband was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, which threatened a devastating “financial toll” on the family. A social worker and attorney suggested she divorce her husband, which she did, though she continues to care for him. The system “twists people like pretzels,” said the woman. A new study has found that 62% of US bankruptcies are tied to health costs.

President Barack Obama listens to a question during the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington earlier this month.
President Barack Obama listens to a question during the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington earlier this month.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. talks after lunch with President Obama and other Democratic senators early this month.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. talks after lunch with President Obama and other Democratic senators early this month.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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We already know how to prod families into divorce and take a life unnecessarily every 30 minutes—all we need to do is reject reform and stick with exactly what we have. - Nicholas Kristof

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 54 comments
NewserScooter
Aug 31, 2009 4:40 AM CDT
Mostly folks needing Bypass surgery, but thats the area I work in. Have seen folks coming here for deep brain stimulation as well. There are other procedures that are limited or have waiting periods in Canada and Europe. Of course we already are the gov't health care system for Mexico.
NewserScooter
Aug 31, 2009 3:35 AM CDT
And btw Fondue, my neighbor who is a Neurologist has patients that fly in to see him from England and throughout Europe. Most just want his expertise, as opposed to just running from the NHS. However getting a deep brain stimulator is apparently difficult there for some reason. I don't know maybe the gov't there doesn't want to pay for it.
NewserScooter
Aug 31, 2009 3:01 AM CDT
But Fondue you want the biggest corp/ of all to take over. Think about it that way! Leppy talk to your docs. The ones who are told what stents, and other equipment they can use and when.

 
health care costs • divorce • health insurance • bankruptcy • health care reform • Obama administration • Nicholas Kristof • President Obama

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