Posted on 02/10/2009 1:08:53 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
(CNSNews.com) – “We are not going to let the federal government monitor what doctors do,” Sen. Arlen Specter told Fox News on Tuesday.
Specter, one of only three Republicans to support the Democrats’ stimulus/spending bill, was responding to growing concerns over health care provisions buried deep in the bill.
One provision creates a National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, “designed to monitor your treatments, to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective,” as a commentary on the Bloomberg news wire reported on Monday.
Specter told Fox News, “If Bloomberg has pointed out a potential problem…there will be clarification to avoid having the government meddle in what doctors do.”
The Senate bill provides $3 billion to computerize health records to cut costs and reduce medical errors. It also allots $1.1 billion to various federal health agencies “to evaluate the relative effectiveness of different health care services and treatment options,” the bill’s summary says.
Specter said the provision was intended to “provide technology” – to computerize the health records of all Americans. He said the government should not be in the business of making decisions on patients’ treatment.
Specter said one of the “big problems” with the stimulus bill is, “Why the rush? Why are we wedded to [a Feb. 13 deadline for passage]?” Specter noted that Congress never held hearings on the bill, and that has created problems.
“This is one of a number of provisions that has popped up that we have to revise and be very careful about,” he said.
Specter said he has protested the rush to judgment, but “the only answer we get is that the situation is so dire, such an emergency, we have to act.” Specter, asked if he would now put a stop to the bill or at least slow it down, indicated that he would not.
“Listen, this legislation is a bitter pill to swallow. But we are facing a situation where the current economic problems could turn into another depression like 1929.” He said he would not change his “yes” vote.
“We will get this provision clarified. I’ve made a commitment, and I’m not going to go back on my word and on a commitment. But when we find problems of this potential, we can cure them without upsetting the whole apple cart.”
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) told Fox News that the stimulus bill is about jobs. “If – that’s a big if – if there’s language in there that says the government’s going to make my health care decisions, we’ll get it out. I don’t believe that,” he said.
“I think that the consumer is pretty well protected. I think what this is meant to do is move us into the 21st Century for health care records,” Tester continued.
“If it’s in there, it’s a bad idea. But the fact is if that can be fixed, it will be fixed, if it’s in there, it will be changed and made better and made workable – and then, the bottom line is, to put people back to work.”
Tester and Specter spoke to Fox News on Tuesday morning, just a few hours before the Senate was scheduled to vote on the massive spending bill, presumably passing it and sending it to a House-Senate conference committee.
The Bloomberg commentary by Betsy McCaughey reported that the controversial health care provisions “reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle,” who was supposed to be President Obama’s secretary of health and human services until tax problems derailed his nomination.
This is plain and simple. Spectre is lying. Everyone supporting this scam is lying.
Sometimes it is necessary and appropriate, Grasshopper.
I heard McCaughey on Glenn Beck today. She quoted from Daschle’s book. He said to slip such provisions into spending bills instead of a healthcare bill, so they won’t be debated or amended and they’ll slip under the radar.
I don’t often use profanity, but this man is a f-ing fascist.
Than why in heavens name Sen. Specter are you supporting this bill?
Is it appropriate in the moment? Is the Dharma a suicide pact?
This is plain and simple. Spectre is lying. Everyone supporting this scam is lying.
I watched that. Openly writing in a book a recommendation on how to bypass and subvert the Constitutional processes of representative government sounds wrong to me. Like sedition.
Then he is neutered. RATS have nothing to fear from him unless he threatens to not vote for it.
yet he voted for exactly that....
Anyone want to guess what % of Congress voting on this bill has read the entire bill. My guess is 0%.
These guys have obviously never read the bill. Idiots.
Just like the restrictions imposed upon the executives of public companies under title III of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act I would like to see our elected officials held personally and criminally responsible for the accuracy in the financial statements made by the US Government. I would damn-sure bet there would be a whole lot of reading going on.
True. There is always karma to consider. Even actions that create good karma are to be avoided. I have heard that if you have no attachment to the outcome of your actions there is no karma. :-)
That would be the only thing that would save us. I really think that they have NO idea what is really in the bill.
anyone remember when that guy just walked up and punched that senator in the mouth?
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