[struwwelpeter]

Not many comments on that site as of yet, one looking to reconnect with an old Navy pal, the other reiterating the Obamacare party line.

From the UK, with a system that we may already be well underway to creating:

NICE rejects Dendreon’s Provenge… again

The article is short and interesting, but the comments are very interesting:

George Berger, on January 15, 2015 at 5:44 pm said:
It gets worse, Sitemaster. NHS England has rejected 20 to 25 cancer meds, two or three days ago. See this and note the dates.

Sitemaster, on January 15, 2015 at 9:12 pm said:
George:
This had been announced as a high probability several months ago. The NHS has a fixed budget each year that they have kept exceeding. You can’t run a household that way, or a business, or a nation. Things that have very limited supplementary benefit inevitably “have to go”.

George Berger, on January 16, 2015 at 5:11 pm said:
I know. I had to analyse the NHS England Commissioning Intentions document, of October 3, 2014. It is such a strange text that some considered it to be a diversion from other matters. Or a test of public opinion, to see what cuts NHS England could get away with without much opposition.

Perhaps there was little opposition. If so, that just might explain the Blitz of dropping more than 20 cancer medications in one day, from provisions within the Cancer Drug Fund. I do not claim to know this. However, these drugs were dropped, and some people I know well now have such limited supplementary benefit to their corporate and entitled masters, that they inevitably “have to go.”

[GOPJ]

Berger addressed the concern that physicians may withhold care in order to keep more in the pool, but he argued that physicians wouldn’t withhold care because then patients would get more sick and use more resources.

We have this - and not only is care being denied - but it'll be the nightmare of the future... Yep, this crap will usher in death panels ... it's called 'Medicare Advantage'.

Insurance companies get a set amount from the government to 'care' for the elderly - and anything they don't spend they get to keep. I've seen this thing working... great for people who are relatively healthy ... past that it's the incentive system from hell.

[KoRn]

What it’s going to come down to is unless you’re wealthy, you had better keep yourself VERY healthy.

After you are 65 or older, you will be on borrowed time, because no one will keep you alive if you get into trouble, unless you can write a big check to someone.

[moovova]

It seems to me that a radiologist is generally brought in as a referral after visiting a primary doc.

However, just in the last year alone, radiologists have played a HUGE part in the healthcare of many wife, my mother, myself, and even our dog. From broken/displaced bones to cancer, radiologists have provided imaging and treatment in big “doses” to our family.

While the author of this article may be concerned about the affect of Obamacare upon his chosen profession (as we all should be)...there is no doubt in my mind, the need for his services will continue to grow.

Thank you, Radiologists!

[cicero2k]

As one who is about to get 5 SBRT fractions, I’m a customer of radiologists.

Also well aware of Provenge. It works well under lower PSA starts. I’m budgeting for it should Medicare not pay.

[PGR88]

“the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group.”

This guy, like others, also mentions a lot of cliches about incentivizing "prevention" vs. simply getting paid for sick care What does all this mean? I'm trying to wade through his double-speak.

Does prevention mean you will be told what to eat? If you can or can not keep guns in your house? Or with regard to group outcomes - If black people have worse "health outcomes" than white people, I assume progressive social engineers will start saying the system is racist - with then obvious consequences.