Posted on 08/12/2009 6:43:10 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A follow-up to last night’s post about the looming dangers of mass amputation if ObamaCare doesn’t pass. This is now the second time in three weeks that a doctors’ association has had to correct him publicly over a bit of cheap demagoguery aimed at scaring people into swallowing his plan. Or, rather, the third time: The American College of Surgeons released a statement of its own earlier this evening hammering him on the same points as the AMA. What’s next for The One? Accusing nurses of stealing money out of patients’ wallets while they’re asleep?
We agree with President Obama on the importance of prevention. However, a recent example used to illustrate his important point was misleading. Surgeons are not paid $30,000 to $50,000 to amputate a diabetic’s foot. Medicare pays a surgeon, on average, from $541.72 to $708.71 for one of two procedures involving a foot amputation. It is possible that the total bill, hospital stay, rehabilitation, prosthesis, etc. may approach the larger amount mentioned.
In the case of tonsillectomies, a patient is referred to a surgeon after medication therapy has proven to be ineffective. Actually, the medical profession itself recognized questions about utilization and appropriateness of tonsillectomies and took action by developing clinical guidelines, which has resulted in a sharp decline in the rate of tonsillectomies.
These types of examples create the impression that physicians are motivated by payment levels rather than what is best for patients. The AMA will continue to stress to our elected leaders that physicians are dedicated to putting patients first and optimizing health care quality.
Translation: The guy who wants to run American health care was off here by a factor of 100 on cost. Although who knows? If the public’s fears about exploding health-care expenses under ObamaCare prove justified, maybe someday soon an amputation will run you $30-50K.
Oh, here’s something else I spotted on the wire today that has no implications at all for a public option or single-payer. None.
CLICK ON ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO
The AMA is being mean! - Little Miss Astroturf.
The screaming liberal AMA can’t stand Obama’s lies. This is rich!
0be talked about foot removal previously (a couple of weeks ago? during his TV dissemination). 0be’s all about reusing his lame examples as a club to get you so tired of hearing them, you nod your head. He thinks you are agreeing, while you are just taking a nap due to intellectual boredom.
With the exception of the U.N. and all Islamic countries, is there a group or country that Obama hasn’t alienated?
“If you think health care is expensive now, just wait till it’s FREE!”
Poor AMA. They thought they’d be exempt from the Marxist purges.
facts-are-stubborn-things alert.
Sorry AMA, you already endorsed him and his “medical plan”.. he no longer needs you.
He could use the AMA’s foot removal services for relief of his oropedal impaction.
It would be nice to see if the government’s hand that always seems to be in our pockets can be amputated. It is the same hand that redistributes the wealth.
Does the Constitution permit impeachment of a president on grounds that he is certifiably insane?
BO Plenty’s tirade against doctors is another group he hates. He seems to hate everybody making more than $7.50 an hour it seems. He’s a radical Marxist demigod out to destroy every traditional American value and our republican form of government.
Why don’t about 50,000 doctors in their white coats show up at the White House and demand an apology from the Joker. If they don’t know when their integrity has been insulted, perhaps they haven’t any.
In the good old days, a duel would be in order to fight for one’s honor.
Obama may be a good campaigner but once the campaign is over, he is proving to the world that he is such a rank amateur when it comes to politics and diplomacy. It’s absolutely astounding. Even Jimmy Carter wasn’t this incompetent. The AMA is SUPPORTING Obama and he’s pissing them off! Incredible.
Gee, Obama is stabbing one of his support groups in the back? My, my..., what a surprise.
Corrected tag-line
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.