[Innovative]

Translation: RATION testing.

Why don't we just withhold medical care from all sick people -- just think how much money THAT will save. (sarcasm, of course)

[Innovative]

Another priceless quote from the article:

“Health economists and other policy advisers question whether doctors can be trusted to make the right calls.”

Yes, we should trust bureaucrats more to make the right decisions about our healthcare, than trained medical doctors! (more sarcasm — but they are actually serious about this!)

[17th Miss Regt]

It’s all defensive medicine. This is a legal issue, not a medical issue.

[tcrlaf]

“U.S. Seeks Ways to Reduce Excessive Medical Testing”

Uhhh.... Yeah...
A Medical Liability Attorney’s wet dream.

[green iguana]

No, no rationing required. Docs do many unnecessary tests these days out of fear of being sued. Solid tort reform would take care of that problem.

Good luck with that.

[kenmcg]

Its called “DEATH PANELS”.If you’re 90 they’ll make you comfortable, if you’re 75 or over life saving techniques will be limited, if you’re obese, a smoker, diabetic or bad heart, liver or kidney you got big problems. Of course none of these rules will affect the bureaucrats. And sure enough they’ll be rewarded with another four years to further destroy the constitution.

[grobdriver]

Two words:

Tort reform.

Howabout:

Loser Pays.

[Pollster1]

It’s not really a Death Panel, it’s just a way of ensuring that tests are allocated to those for whom they are cost effective.

[Paleo Conservative]

“I don’t trust professional societies to do it because that’s how they make money – by doing tests and procedures,” said MIT healthcare economist Dr. Jonathan Gruber.

I don't trust MIT economists to make those decisions, because they are flaming leftists. I've taken classes from MIT trained economists, so I know what I'm talking about.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Trying to get ahead of the juggernaut.

Of course, today sometimes there is a temptation to over-test because of a different juggernaut. I don’t think Obamacare intends to do anything about that — why should a Ratly plan steal business from shysters? Putting doctors between a rock and a hard place.

[ccmay]

This could be solved overnight by tort reform and cracking down on self-referral.

[Joe the Pimpernel]

There is a very easy way; kill all the trial lawyers.

And I am not being sarcastic.

[Paleo Conservative]

For years, spine surgeons treated certain types of back pain by fusing the front and the back of two disks, which for billing purposes were two separate procedures, he said. Today, guidelines recommend fusing either the front or the back of the disks, not both.

Spinal fusion is a last resort operation. It's usually not done unless more conservative options have failed. I'd rather the surgeon make the decision about how to do the operation rather than some think tank and government bureaucrats thousands of miles away.

[richardtavor]

If you get true Tort Reform, they wouldn’t have to test as much.

[Paleo Conservative]

It is easy for a patient who is covered by insurance to get pulled into this “therapeutic cascade,” she said. It usually starts with screening and frequently leads to more tests, and often unnecessary medical procedures and drugs.

I have a large annual deductible and an HSA. I don't go to my doctor just for the hell of it. In fact my previous doctor destroyed all my medical records when I didn't see him for 7 years.

[RatRipper]

Tort reform . . .

[The Sons of Liberty]

To hell with testing! Fire up the 0BAMA DEATH PANELS!

[puppypusher]

The easy way for the administration to fund Obama care would be to deny anyone over the age of 60 diagnostic services.That way they will be that much sicker and die quicker.

After all we’ll all have to take that blue pill eventually.There won’t be enough money on earth to fund that plan.

[DustyMoment]

A leading group of U.S. doctors is trying to tackle the costly problem of excessive medical testing, hoping to avoid more government intervention in how they practice.

Here's a simple way to avoid costly excessive medical testing - cut the number of lawyers filing malpractice suits to a total of 5 per month . . . . . . . NATIONWIDE!!!!!

If lawyers can't chase ambulances, they may have to find a different source of deep pockets.

Politicians come to mind. They can sue them as often as they like for fraud and malfeasance.

[SaraJohnson]

70 or older? Handicapped? No tests for you.

[Notary Sojac]

Hey, I think everyone should get tested as often and for as many conditios as they like, provided they pay for it out of their own pockets.

Remember, there is no "right" to health care funded by confiscating someone else's income.