http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs

Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.

Senators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version).

The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.

But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”

Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.

New Penalties

Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties. “Meaningful user” isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose “more stringent measures of meaningful use over time” (511, 518, 540-541)

What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment? The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make.

The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle’s book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs. He praises Europeans for being more willing to accept “hopeless diagnoses” and “forgo experimental treatments,” and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system.

:rolls eyes several times:

It’s an all-too-far left
And adios right
C’mon you three dummies
Get your right vote right
Get offstage you RINO goofs, y’know…
You tick me off
You stupid jerks
Get on my nerves

Well here comes Arlen
With his hat in his hand
He’s an Obama man
And he’s off to the recon. O!

It’s an all-too-far left
And adios right
C’mon you three dummies
Get your right vote right
Get offstage you RINO goofs, y’know…
You tick me off
You stupid jerks
Get on my nerves

Frankly, I am a bit surprised that no democrats crossed the line on this one. I mean, we are talking about the biggest decision to waste money in all of human history.

Not exactlly fiscally responsible, much less conservative.

Am I stupid or is this like a bad dream that just keeps repeating itself in an endless loop…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out…Republicans gain their footing and make progress against the Democrats…along come this bunch and yanks the rug out

DADDY….PLEASE MAKE THEM STOP THE RIDE….I WANT TO GET OFF!!!

Ohh…and they’re the ringmasters of the circus that is the RMSP….but I’ve already said that a thousand times haven’t I?

Where are all those squishes that were so busy pounding and pummeling us for excluding the supposed fiscal conservative social moderates before the elections and whining about circular firing squads now? Ohh and best of all…where are all those spouting off that we need these people to stop the Democrats from getting to 60? As if having these guys on our side meant anything anyway!