New York Times to Americans: Get Used the Rationing

NewsBusters’s Clay Waters describes the attitude of the New York Times about Americans who want to extend our lives. They think it’s gauche.

Sack managed to make the desire of Americans to live longer sound gauche, while suggesting that those who fear the recommendations are a harbinger of rationing are confused or just grandstanding against Obama:

This week, the science of medicine bumped up against the foundations of American medical consumerism: that more is better, that saving a life is worth any sacrifice, that health care is a birthright.

Two new recommendations, calling for delaying the start and reducing the frequency of screening for breast and cervical cancer, have been met with anger and confusion from some corners, not to mention a measure of political posturing.

The backers of science-driven medicine, with its dual focus on risks and benefits, have cheered the elevation of data in the setting of standards. But many patients — and organizations of doctors and disease specialists — find themselves unready to accept the counterintuitive notion that more testing can be bad for your health.

“People are being asked to think differently about risk,” said Sheila M. Rothman, a professor of public health at Columbia University. “The public state of mind right now is that they’re frightened that evidence-based medicine is going to be equated with rationing. They don’t see it in a scientific perspective.”

Of course the New York Times has no problem with the new guidelines against preventive medicine for women - they’re for ObamaCare and the only way to make it work is to ration treatment and screening. Personally, I wouldn’t be so opposed to these guidelines if ObamaCare would bring down the price of health insurance. I’d just pay out of pocket for whatever screening I think I need that isn’t covered. But they’re not bringing down the cost, it’s going to go up. Since they aren’t expanding health savings accounts there probably won’t be enough left over to pay for routine screening. Which means I, and all of you, are going to be worse off when it comes to health care, not better.