Instead of a doctor determining treatment for Americans it will be done by the Obamacare Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Along with the health secretary, it will determine whether or not a treatment is “cost effective” in extending life for the elderly, disabled, or terminally ill.
The Research Institute purposes are described as a way to carry out “comparative clinical effectiveness research” that is defined as evaluating and comparing “health outcomes” and “clinical effectiveness”-- risks and benefits of two or more medical treatment or services. Obamacare originally allotted $1.1 billion for the Research Institute and now allows for about $3.8 billion in additional funding.
WND Daily reports there will be an “expert advisory panel” of practicing and research clinicians, patients and experts in scientific and health services delivery that will be chosen by Obamacare to make the life or death decisions for millions of Americans. These “experts” who have been selected by the Obama administration, will decide whether what are deemed as “alternative treatments” will be allowed or not.
According to Sally Pipes, president of the Pacific Research Institute, as quoted in WND Daily, what has been described as “effective research” is a “recipe for cook-book medicine, where the government can pressure doctors into prescribing treatments according to the average results rather than an individual patient’s needs and preferences.”
An unanswered question is how long will it be before private insurance companies use the findings of the Obamacare Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute’s finding to deny coverage to their insured?
Another is why Congress is making no effort to prevent the Research Institute from making life or death decisions for American doctors and their patients?
Comments