Monthly Archives: November 2009

Myth 26. Government-directed rationing will be rational.

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It all sounds very reasonable: to set priorities, to use the most effective therapies, to serve the neediest first. Rationing is a given, say reform advocates. Insurance companies already do it. Let’s just make it rational and fair.

Some say that Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) isn’t really about rationing. “Nothing in the legislation…provided for payment restriction based on CER findings,” writes Jerry Avorn (N Engl J Med 2009;360:1927-1929). It’s “Orwellian” to suggest such a thing. Anyway, “unaffordability rations care far more than comparative studies ever could.” Continue reading →

Senate Dems already panning their own bill

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 SENATE VOTES TO BEGIN FORMAL
 DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE BILL
Healthcare Tea Party on the Las Vegas Strip today

Healthcare Tea Party on the Las Vegas Strip today

 

 The Senate has voted to begin debate on the Senate healthcare bill, by a party line vote.

As we wrote earlier today, even though we have been considering every vote to be “first and goal” there are still a number of plays left in the game, and will need your efforts now more than ever to win it.

CBO to release scoring of Senate healthcare bill

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Vote may occur this week!
Tell the Senate to
“VOTE NO on motion to proceed.”


Despite the delay in the CBO release of the scoring of the Senate healthcare bill, it looks like its analysis will be unveiled this evening at 5pm EST (see Reuters article).  This means a vote on the motion to proceed may occur on Friday or Saturday.  Your calls to the Senate today are urgently needed!  If you can’t make your calls by 3pm EST, make them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Continue reading →