Medicine is forced to change better or worse?

[Guest guest]

Just to give others an idea of what is happening to other parts of the

country in regards to the assault on healthcare and the ignorance

perpetuated by the current elected officials. Please read on.

 

 

Mike W. Bowser, L Ac

 

 

Media Release

Embargoed until 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

 

Minnesota Citizens Say: " No Bureaucrats at the Bedside "

 

(St. Paul, Minnesota) - To draw attention to a piece of controversial

health care cost containment legislation at the Minnesota

legislature, Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) today held a

press conference at the State Office Building, across the street from

the State Capitol. CCHC's president, Twila Brase, made comments and

introduced a panel of four citizens, who shared their personal

stories and concerns about the legislation.

 

Ms. Brase called the legislative proposal, " this year's most hidden

and least discussed health care legislation. "

 

At issue is the " evidence-based medicine " legislation which was added

last Wednesday by Sen. Kiscaden (I-Rochester) as an amendment to the

Senate Health and Human Services omnibus budget bill. The proposal is

also in the health care cost containment bill (HF 2438) authored by

Rep. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka). It was scheduled to be heard by the House

Health Policy and Finance Committee shortly before the press

conference began.

 

" This legislation will extend or make permanent the authority of

government to tell doctors how to practice medicine. It essentially

mandates managed care, " she said.

 

Last year, Rep. Bradley (R-Rochester) proposed legislation dubbed

" best practices. " After a public outcry, demonstrated by a large

stack of citizen petitions delivered by CCHC to the Governor and

legislative leadership, an expiration date was added to the bill in

the last hours of the 2004 session. The 2005 legislation repeals the

expiration date, making it permanent policy, and changes all " best

practices " references to " evidence based health care guidelines. " The

term is not defined in the bill.

 

The legislation requires the Minnesota Department of Health to

identify and disseminate " evidence based health care guidelines. " The

department must also publicly report the adherence of physicians and

other health care providers to these treatment protocols. And

combined with other language in the bill, low compliance rates could

result in financial penalties.

 

" Patients don't want bureaucrats at the bedside, " said Brase. To make

her point, she unveiled a large poster. Surrounded by a sea of black

was the universal " no " sign in red. In the middle of the " no " sign

were the words, " Bureaucrats at Bedside " In other words, " No

Bureaucrats at the Bedside. "

 

" Bureaucrats make lousy doctors. They aren't licensed to practice

medicine. They may have political agendas. They may want to become

health plan executives. And they have no ethical obligation to 'first

do no harm' " Brase emphasized.

 

Expressing their concerns through personal stories were:

 

- Margaret Minegar, Apple Valley - story about her mother's

hospitalization

- Mary Galen O'Connor, Brooklyn Center - her experience with

a generic prescription

- Susan Zappa, St. Paul - fearing the loss of individualized

diabetic care

- Wayne Liebhard, MD, Prior Lake - conflict of ethics forces

change of career

 

" Patients have the most to lose, " concluded Brase. " The legislation

sanctions health care rationing. It attacks the patient-doctor

relationship. And it will not lower health care costs. "

 

" Most of the public knows nothing about what is planned for them or

how their health care choices could be limited. There's been no

public discussion. We hope you'll change that, " she told the news

media.

 

###

 

Citizens' Council on Health Care is an independent, non-profit,

free-market health care policy organization located in St. Paul,

Minnesota.

--

Citizens' Council on Health Care

1954 University Ave. W, Ste. 8

St. Paul, MN 55104

651-646-8935 ph

651-646-0100 fx

http://www.cchconline.org