White House backs off cancer test guidelines

Washington Post ^ | 11/19/09 | Rob Stein and Dan Eggen

[Nachum]

A top federal health official said Wednesday that the controversial new guidelines for breast cancer screening do not represent government policy, as the Obama administration sought to keep the debate over mammograms from undermining the prospects for health-care reform.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in a written statement, said the new guidelines had "caused a great deal of confusion and worry among women and their families across this country," and she stressed that they were issued by "an outside independent panel of doctors and scientists who . . . do not set federal policy and . . . don't determine what services are covered by the federal government."

Sebelius's statement challenged the recommendations of that influential panel, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, made up of independent experts assembled by her department to address one of the most explosive issues in women's health.

[Let's Roll]

They will back off anything we want them to until they get control of healthcare, healthcare workers all belong to SEIU etc. and then just watch what they decide is adequate healthcare for us peons.

[Don Corleone]

"I'm being overworked and I want a raise!"

Winston Smith

[Dysart]

Yep, they probably were intending to use the panel's guidelines as basis for a policy change/cost savings in BC screening, and now may not adopt it straightaway. But they'll just shift ration-focus and cut elsewhere--with less fanfare. Always watch for cost shifting, but it's hard to monitor when this business is typically conducted behind closed doors, with a bulletin being released to those who need to know. And as such most guideline changes do not receive such immediate public scrutiny, with only providers and HC administrators privy to it, and I expect they've learned their lesson here.

And it is especially ironic to me that one of the main points of emphasis of Obamacare during the campaign was the enormous savings to be realized by stepping up preventive care. They'd look awfully dishonest if they renege on it in such a visible and blatant about-face in their propounded public health policy right out of the gate.

[rcrngroup]

It’s incredible, whenever the light of truth is turned on any aspect of the Health Care nightmare bill, then all of a sudden the RATs scurry away from the provision and simply cry & whine that “this was only some independent panel” and not part of the health care plan. Same thing happened with the death care panels (no there are not really any such things as death care panels, when in fact there were) or abortion, or limits on Medicare, and the list goes on & on.

[dalebert]

yes saw it this evening

[Cobra64]

What did you see?

[catbertz]

I was so disgusted last night watching NBC news cover this guideline nonsense. The medical expert, Nancy Snyderman, basically called survivors under 50 "anomalies", and then proceeded to claim that the science was concrete, coming from such an "August body" of scientists.

The banter between her and Brian Williams hoped aloud that the young doctors coming out of medical school would buy into this new way of thinking, because the current crop of doctors firmly believe in screening. The look in her eyes was disturbing.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Sorry sacks of sh!t trying to unring the bell.

[Crim]

“I was so disgusted last night watching NBC news cover this guideline nonsense. The medical expert, Nancy Snyderman, basically called survivors under 50 “anomalies”, and then proceeded to claim that the science was concrete, coming from such an “August body” of scientists.
The banter between her and Brian Williams hoped aloud that the young doctors coming out of medical school would buy into this new way of thinking, because the current crop of doctors firmly believe in screening. The look in her eyes was disturbing.”

I know...but I find it hillarious...because the press is so eager to please dear leader they all LEAP to support any and all things proposed...well..looks like they jumped the gun yet AGAIN...LMAO...

Now they have to go into “what offial panel?” mode...”there was no offical panel”...”Obama didnt propose this”...blah blah blah...down the memory hole....

Stuff only a liberal could believe....

[kcvl]

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is a Government-appointed expert panel

So I guess they are worthless according to Kathleen Sebelius, just like everything the government sticks it's paws in!

[tiki]

Shhhhhhh, Who is the stupid idiot who leaked this before we pass the bill, it was supposed to be put out directly after so that the sheeple would have time to get used to the idea before it took effect.

[John W]

She was disgusting again tonight when she had to report this story and ended with “is this good science or politics?”-of course regarding the reversal, never said that last night. She may be feeling hung out to dry after the way she carried their water on day one of this farce.

[kcvl]

The medical expert, Nancy Snyderman, basically called survivors under 50 "anomalies"

Maybe she should tell that to Laura Ingraham and the hundreds of women UNDER 50 that I sat in the chemo room with for over a year!

I hate 'medical experts' who whore themselves for an agenda!

She is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology in head and neck surgery, and specializes in head and neck cancer.

Snyderman began her broadcasting career around 1984 at KATV, the ABC affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas

In 1999, Snyderman returned over $50,000 to DrKoop.com, a healthcare website based in Austin, Texas, after violating insider trading rules

[Rastus]

Obama giving an interview to Fox News. I didn’t and wouldn’t watch, but I get an e-mail about it from FNC. I don’t recall what program he was on. Oh, probably Special Report since he sat down with Major Garrett.

[Red_Devil 232]

They back off in words only ... the original agenda remains unchanged! Watch the other hand!

[Eroteme]

Doublespeak at its’ finest. The panel is independent, but it was hired by the government to do the study, but the government sponsored study doesn’t represent the government.

Yep. We've gotten a sneak preview of the bumbling unaccountability shell game we can expect with Obamacare. The Catch-22 for them in this particular tap dance is that the administration repeatedly has assured people that government bureaucrats won't be making medical decisions; only experts will. Experts they empanel. Ooops.

The good news is, it's a gift. Once again, this administration's arrogance is on full display. They can't help themselves. The arrogance is so enormous that they choose for their debut recommendation THE most high-profile, emotional, and politicized medical condition ever. It's been packaged and PR'd and pink-ribboned to become America's most beloved disease cause, eclipsing far more prevalent diseases whose numbers dwarf breast cancer. It's become an article of faith, an American institution. They'd have had better luck announcing the earth is flat.

There are countless conditions and diseases they could have practiced on that wouldn't have raised so much as a yawn. The normal snakes in Washington have learned the art of incrementalism, slipping in under the radar. But no, these people make everything an opportunity to say. "WE WON!"

This is the Chicago Olympics bid, the KSM trial, Van Jones. Just so damn sure of themselves, they go all in on the first hand, without giving a thought to plausible cover if things don't work out. As long as they fail to learn the lessons, America still has a chance.

[dalebert]

obama interviewed on FOXNEWS is what i saw

[Chunga]

Has anyone noticed the socialists back down whenever the feel the wrath of the people?

They don't back down. They regroup, repackage and redeploy.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Absolutely!!!!!!