Nods and a shrug about health care

I recently spoke with a family doctor who feels we should go to the European health care system. Outcome-based, she suggested on “professional opinions.”

Death panels, I suggested? Affirmative nod. Didn't Sarah Palin get criticized for suggesting such a thing? Another affirmative nod.

What happens when they decide that a 50-year-old, or a child of 10 would require too much continuing care after a surgery? Will they get the surgery needed, I asked? Outcome based, she suggested again.

That means, I offered, that only the rich could get what they wanted, right? If they wanted the lifesaving surgery and the professionals refused could they not just fly off to an out-of-the country hospital, say in the Far East or Costa Rica? Well, yes, she stated.

So Obamacare will leave the majority of us with little options and the wealthy with the freedom and money to get what they feel is needed to prolong their lives? Another affirmative nod.

So I asked her, what was the point in spending billions of dollars on research to extend life, to now be told, sorry in our professional opinion you're too old and or your life is not worth doing another surgery? With that I got a shrug.

Martin J. Uttich

Carol Stream