Kurt Ullman wrote in news:kurtullman-
:

In article ,
Jim Yanik wrote:


but who PAYS for whatever treatment the doc decides?
THAT is where the "death panels" step in.

Who pays for it now?

That's between private insurers,you and your doctors.

At least you can negotiate or sue them;you can't with government.

No doc is going to sell their services at a loss or give them away for
free. Nor should they be forced to.
But that is pretty much what is happening in most cases where the
docs don't get paid for counselling.

The result would be doctors leaving the practice,and fewer new doctors
entering practice;less service and longer waits.
This is evident in other countries.
Ad ours with MCare and MCaid already.

EXACTLY.
people seem to think that a National Healthcare System is going to be run
better than the present Medicare and Medicaid? Crazy.

(or better than USPS,AMTRAK,NASA,Senate and House lunchrooms....)




If that is help you shuffle off this mortal coil,
then they should be able to give you their best available advice.

Advice only goes so far,then treatment (or denial of treatment)is
necessary.
Which the counselling wouldn't address. That is a different part
of the process. It also happens now under private and governmental plans
alike.

"counselling" is a distraction;
it's the *denial of treatments* that is the problem.



That
sometimes may include stopping the artifical and letting nature take
its course. About the only part of the plan I can get into without
reservation is that the counselling should be done. Actually BEFORE
you are in an extremis situation.


What about accidents?

BEFORE in extremis situations would tend to suggest an ongoing
process. At least every so many years (IIRC that is once every 5 years
or so? Probably not often enough). I, for instance, already have the
living will and durable power of attorney for health care filled out and
ready to go. But those not intimately involved in the healthcare side,
don't know about these things often and could use the suggestions and
reminders.



BTW,Obama has said he expects to drive private insurers out of the
healthcare business,and that it would take 10-15 years to do it.
It's a GOAL of Obama's to have only a "single payer" system.
NO competition(with the resultant savings),no choice.


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net