Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, health adviser to President Barack Obama, is under scrutiny for chastises physicians for thinking only about their own patient's needs. True reform, he argues, must include redefining doctors' ethical obligations. Dr. Emanuel believes doctors should serve two masters, the patient and society, and that medical students should be trained "to provide socially sustainable, cost-effective care. Covering services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic, and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia.
While I might even agree on some of these thoughts by Dr. Emanuel, I just don't want my doctor's decision making to be guided by a bunch of political hacks in Washington who are unwilling to place the care of their own families under this same system of care. Cost of care comes into play but government has shown time and again its failure to make good cost effective decisions nor good decisions in general.
Dr. Emanuel further argues that insurance companies should pay for new treatments only when the evidence demonstrates that the drug will work for most patients. He says the "major contributor" to rapid increases in health spending is "the constant introduction of new medical technologies, including new drugs, devices, and procedures.
Dr. Emanuel's assessment of American medical care is summed up in a Nov. 23, 2008, Washington Post op-ed he co-authored: "The United States is No. 1 in only one sense: the amount we shell out for health care. We have the most expensive system in the world per capita, but we lag behind many developed nations on virtually every health statistic you can name."
So, based on his opinion of the American medical care system and his ability to get the best health care available, he and his family will be going elsewhere for their health care when they become ill? This is all garbage, we have the best medical care system in the world and when the wealthy become sick they come here, they don't go anywhere else for their health care. The statement by Dr. Emanuel is as hypocritical as it is for Al Gore to cry about man caused global warming and still fly around in his big plane and have an estate that consumes more energy in a month than most of us use in a couple years.
Until these experts begin providing leadership through actions as opposed to empty words we need to treat this for what it is, a lot of hot air!
This is America, pursue your dreams and demand a government that allows you to do that, as opposed to a government that wants to restrain your basic freedoms in life.
Read more about Dr. Emanuel and his ideas on how our health care system should work: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203706604574374463280098676.html
