[bonesmccoy]

You are mistaken regarding "waiver" of consent. In my opinion, the courts do not honor corporations or individuals who claim that another has "waived" a right without a signed document. While faxing is operationally acceptable, I am relatively certain that most tort attorneys would attack the faxed document as being unreliable and itself being a violation of the privacy rights of the plaintiff.

You are entirely correct regarding the inability to protect patients with behavioral, psychological, or chronic medical conditions.

Regarding the cost of health care, you can blame a considerable amount of the cost increase in healthcare on a variety of factors:
* Increase in cost of medical facilities due to Americans with Disability Act, California Earthquake codes, and NCQA guidelines
* Increase in technology needed to effectively diagnose and treat patients
* Increase in drug costs (due to the litigious nature of tort attorneys who keep suing innovative pharmaceutical or technology companies)
* Skyrocketing malpractice premiums.

[caddie]

Good points, Bones, but I just don't trust W doing any kind of shortcuts with the status quo.

I just don't think the Constitution and personal liberty means anything to him.

I would be willing to give W the benefit of the doubt, if it were January 2001, but you know he has not given me or any conservative a single reason to trust or to like him.

But you are right on about the costs of health care.