MAMMOGRAMS CONTINUED

The news about guidelines related to mammograms and now pap smears has many concerned about rationing.

Rationing is not beginning with women's health issues. That's just what's in the news. "Women," "black," "children" are buzzword topics. Put those in the headlines, and tears immediately start flowing. Put "men" in the headline, and you start kicking and throwing things. In the Reid bill, the word "women" shows up 97 times; children 83 times; men just twice.

Uncle Sam is going to protect us. From the Stimulus bill we have:

FEDERAL COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH.
PURPOSE.—The Council shall foster optimum coordination of comparative effectiveness and related health services research conducted or supported by relevant Federal departments and agencies, with the goal of reducing duplicative efforts and encouraging coordinated and complementary use of resources.

And from the Reid bill we have:

PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Institute is to assist patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policy-makers in making informed health decisions by advancing the quality and relevance of evidence concerning the manner in which diseases, disorders, and other health conditions can effectively and appropriately be prevented, diagnosed, treated, monitored, and managed through research and evidence synthesis that considers variations in patient sub populations, and the dissemination of research findings with respect to the relative health outcomes, clinical effectiveness, and appropriateness of the medical treatments, services....

I feel all warm and fuzzy now.

The term "cost-efficiency" is not found in either bill related to these topics. But in a CBO paper (December 2007) "Research on the Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Treatments: Issues and Options for an Expanded Federal Role" it is found 59 times.

There is a cost difference associated with alternative treatments. If any recognized group issues a statement related to treatments for a disease, illness, etc., they will issue it for a purpose. It will impact our insurance coverage, including the government insurance.

The question then is "May I pay for the treatment myself?" I wonder?