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    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

    We'll give em a pill.


    By JGillman, Section News
    Posted on Thu Feb 09, 2012 at 10:43:49 PM EST
    Tags: Obamacare, Michigan, Prescription Drugs, Pneumonia, Prevnar, Seniors, Death Panels (all tags)

    If we can.

    We are starting to see those effects of Obamacare.

    Remember when the discussion on healthcare brought out Obama's callous remark about what to do with ailing seniors? When asked:

    "Under Obamacare, will an elderly person's general state of health, and her "spirit," be taken into account when making medical decisions - or will these decisions be made according to age only?"

    President Obama answered. "It is really not feasible, to take "spirit" into account. We are going to make medical decisions based on objective evidence, and not subjective impressions. If the evidence shows that some form of treatment "is not necessarily going to improve care, then at least we can let the doctors know that - you know what? - maybe this isn't going to help; maybe you're better off not having the surgery, but taking the pain pill."


    Right.  Never mind the will of the patient, desire to live, spirit, human decency and all that.  In fact it was this exchange which initiated the Former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin and others to begin using the term "death panels"

    The guy is stone cold .. cold.

    And our seniors are going to be facing a great deal more of this president's "youthful zeal" toward exterminating what is seen as a costly element of society. Particularly when health care rationing becomes necessary.  So instead of procedure, maybe its a pill for you granny.

    And you may be thankful to get that.

    Continued below the fold ~

    Merrill Matthews at Forbes points out that even the pill you might expect to help you bide your time waiting for the grim reaper could be hard to come by.  He writes:
    "The threats of "death panels" raised during the debate over ObamaCare may have been overblown, but they highlighted an important problem: When the government funds and controls most or all of the health care system, health care becomes subject to the same fiscal constraints as other government programs.  Just look at the political and fiscal chaos involving Medicare reimbursements to doctors, referred to as the "doc fix."

    That's why the CDC's resistance to "recommending" certain new FDA-approved vaccines is raising eyebrows.  Has the fiscal hammer come down on access to medicines??"


    Already? Maybe.

    We have always understood the FDA is slow to approve medications, and the profit time before drugs are released into generics is a very small window.  But the Obama administration seems to be dragging it out even further. The cost of approval lays in the fact that government has to pick up the tab for some of the drugs that work.  

    A Drug is new, and it works, very well.  Unfortunately its also relatively expensive, due to the nature of development, and time in producing it.  The government, while recognizing how much better it might be than than the last used drug, also realizes its on the hook for the better drug if used.

    To control that cost, it apparently refuses to approve.

    Something is screwy here.  The Forbes article describes a particular Pneumonia for seniors drug Prevnar, is facing this issue. Matthews continues:

    "The vaccine was approved under the FDA's accelerated approval process, created to expedite drugs addressing life-threatening illnesses.  And as if to underline the importance of the new vaccine, the FDA issued a press release last December asserting: "[I]t is estimated that approximately 300,000 adults 50 years of age and older are hospitalized yearly because of pneumococcal pneumonia.  Pneumococcal disease is a substantial cause of illness and death.  Today's approval [of Prevnar 13] provides an additional vaccine for preventing pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive disease in this age group."

    But while the ACIP is scheduled to meet later this month--as it does three times a year--it has only scheduled time for discussion, not for a vote to recommend Prevnar 13.  And the question is why?"


    Why Indeed?

    Michigan has a rather large senior population.  A third of Michigan's population is over 50, and the fact Michigan has one of the largest senior populations in the country, means Michigan's share of elderly pneumonia victims is high.  

    "Well, the FDA says that, not "a few thousand," but 300,000 adults age 50 and will be hospitalized with pneumonia in a given year."

    A big part of that.

    And without access to the best medication developed.

    Because of Obamacare, rationing, and shortsighted healthcare policy, will continue to stop development of lifesaving, and enhancing medication.

    We can't even give em a good pill to take.

    < Applying Reagan's Eleventh Commandment . . . What Does This Mean? | Michigan: Right To Lose Work State >


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    Display: Sort:
    Obamacare will provide wider coverage (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Bruce on Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 12:36:24 AM EST
    ... only it will be much "thinner" coverage.  Like the sheet pulled over the dead body.

    • how apropo by JGillman, 02/10/2012 06:43:16 AM EST (none / 0)
    It's not worth getting angry about. (none / 0) (#3)
    by Corinthian Scales on Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 08:02:17 AM EST


    The Presidents copying that idea. I'm glad (none / 0) (#6)
    by Corinthian Scales on Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 09:06:10 AM EST

    Yessirree, 'ol Doctor Dan has some serious explaining or back pedaling to do.

    "For my fellow Michiganders, this upcoming election is the most critical in generations. Our country simply cannot take four more years of President Obama's broken promises and failed policies. Mitt Romney shares the values that made me run for office in the first place: a willingness to take on Washington, a commitment to repeal Obamacare and a promise to end Washington's runaway spending. I urge all my fellow conservatives to reject four more years of a failed presidency and join me in supporting Mitt Romney."

    Really?


    Source? (none / 0) (#7)
    by archiespeck on Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 12:57:04 PM EST
    Not that I am denying that Obama would say something so heinous, but do you have a link for the quote Gillman?

    Here you go, archiespeck (none / 0) (#8)
    by Corinthian Scales on Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 01:40:07 PM EST


    • Thanks CS by JGillman, 02/10/2012 02:04:24 PM EST (none / 0)
    • Many thanks by archiespeck, 02/10/2012 02:28:01 PM EST (none / 0)
    I'm just waiting for someone to suggest in the... (none / 0) (#11)
    by KG One on Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 05:07:26 PM EST
    ...not-so-near future that they'll be "going home".

    It's coming.

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