Don't waste money on the Elderly

[rojawe]

Don't Waste Money on the Elderly?
The video below features Professor Stuart Altman of Brandeis University speaking before the Senate Finance Committee hearing on health-care reform. Courtesy of Hot Air. During the hearing, Brandeis says:



Remember, our population is aging. And with the very, very elderly, the costs go down, so that percentage should be falling, and it’s not. Second, the cost of care is growing by so much, so at the same percentage, it’s worth a lot more. So let’s go back to the issue of comparative effectiveness, which we’re supporting. That’s where that can have a big impact. It’s not only there, but that’s where the waste is. That’s where people are using technologies that really either don’t work at all or keep people alive for for very limited [time] and [at] very high cost.



Hospice is one option, but we do need take account of the cost — you know, I hate to say it, the cost-benefit of some of the things we do. And either we can do it directly, or we can do it by bundling the payments and let the delivery system deal with it. So it’s a combination of the delivery system dealing with it, or, and/or providing more information for people to make the right decisions, both for themselves and for the care.

This is a sentiment heard more and more these days - because the elderly are such a drain on society we should just come up with a way to better manage the growing elderly segment of society. I have blogged about this subject before here, noting the statements of Baroness Warnock in Britain who believes that people should soon be "licensed to put others down" if they are unable to look after themselves. Why should the government waste money on the elderly (or the terminally ill or senile) who won't live for very long anyway. Those resources could be better spent on other younger, more deserving people, right?

 

[PegLeg45]

As a tangent to this, I got this in an email from "His Majesty's" royal underlings today on health care reform.....
May be of interest, as I said, if only as a tangent to the OP.....


The White House,
Washington
     
Good afternoon,

You are receiving this email because you signed up at WhiteHouse.gov. My staff and I plan to use these messages as a way to directly communicate about important issues and opportunities, and today I have some encouraging updates about health care reform.

The Vice President and I just met with leaders from the House of Representatives and received their commitment to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31.

We also have an unprecedented commitment from health care industry leaders, many of whom opposed health reform in the past. Monday, I met with some of these health care stakeholders, and they pledged to do their part to reduce the health care spending growth rate, saving more than two trillion dollars over the next ten years -- around $2,500 for each American family. Then on Tuesday, leaders from some of America's top companies came to the White House to showcase innovative ways to reduce health care costs by improving the health of their workers.

Now the House and Senate are beginning a critical debate that will determine the health of our nation's economy and its families. This process should be transparent and inclusive and its product must drive down costs, assure quality and affordable health care for everyone, and guarantee all of us a choice of doctors and plans.

Reforming health care should also involve you. Think of other people who may want to stay up to date on health care reform and other national issues and tell them to join us here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/EmailUpdates

Health care reform can't come soon enough. We spend more on health care than any country, but families continue to struggle with skyrocketing premiums and nearly 46 million are without insurance entirely. It is a priority for the American people and a pillar of the new foundation we are seeking to build for our economy.

We'll continue to keep you posted about this and other important issues.

Thank you,
Barack Obama

P.S. If you'd like to get more in-depth information about health reform and how you can participate, be sure to visit http://www.HealthReform.gov.

[tombogan03884]

And this is surprising why ? Socialized medicine is a total clusterf#@k in every other country it's been tried in why think it will be any different here ?

[Dakotaranger]

I'm all for the 60's hippies not getting healthcare.  We can tell them it's just retro-active abortion.   

[mortdooley]

 First you abort the unborn, then you kill the elderly and finally you turn on the handicapped in the name of saving money! The sad thing about care for the elderly is that it may not improve the quality of their lives but just prolong it and I could not refuse them the treatments knowing it would lead to their deaths. Many of the expenses for medical care are absolutely absurd like requiring an $800 ambulance charge each way from a nursing home to a dentist. There are many more like charging for treatment never performed or unnecessary procedures.

[Sponsor]

[Texas_Bryan]

First you abort the unborn, then you kill the elderly and finally you turn on the handicapped in the name of saving money! The sad thing about care for the elderly is that it may not improve the quality of their lives but just prolong it and I could not refuse them the treatments knowing it would lead to their deaths. Many of the expenses for medical care are absolutely absurd like requiring an $800 ambulance charge each way from a nursing home to a dentist. There are many more like charging for treatment never performed or unnecessary procedures.

My old man gave me a great piece of advise, "never forget the doctors work to make money, its a meat market out there, and we're dinner."

As much as I trust a doctor's opinion, I don't trust their intentions.

[WyoJoe]

What a crock of baloney!! The elderly are one of the greatest resources this counrty has. Tis a very slippery slope we are on.

[tombogan03884]

Remember "Soylent Green" and "Logans Run" ?

[C.O.T.U.S.]

Tombogan ya stole my thunder.


"Soylent Green is people!"

Sadly enough, At work I talked with a guy who proposed making biodiesel from the elderly and calling it "soylent fuel"
Hopefully someone on the hill doesn't come up with the same idea

[Bill Stryker]

Government run health care sucks.
It darn near killed my daughter and her son by delaying a doctor visiting her in child birth. The baby was breach and she needed a c-section but the government midwife delayed for two days before calling a surgeon because of her protocols. My son in law sort of jacked the midwife up by the stacking swivel to get her to call a real doctor.
Government run health care is killing her father in law by denying him the by pass surgery he needs because he is now 80. His doctors told him he needed it five years ago and put him on the wait list. Now, he is too old. What a crock.
Where is this gulag you say? England.
After that clusterf%&@ with England's national health care, my daughter told her husband that if he expected to have any more children they were leaving England for the US. They did and I have another grandson and did not almost lose my daughter in the process.
And BHO wants us to accept that crap? Who is he being led by? Dr Mengle? I bet the political class will not be subjected to what we will.