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Prepare to Die for a Lack of Money
by Gene Lyons
Observing Republicans gear up to
try to undo “Obamacare,” I suspect the only thing that will satisfy
some is to make medical care in the United States work like veterinary
care. You get what you can pay for.
Otherwise, tough luck.
Who would have thought that after Sarah Palin’s imaginary “death
panels” — chosen by Politifacts.com,
the fact-checking website, as its 2009 “Lie of the Year” — Arizona
Republicans would be denying heart,
lung and liver transplants to Medicaid patients because Gov. Jan Brewer
says the state can’t afford them?
To save a lousy $1.4 million (out of a $9 billion budget), Arizona’s
Health Care Cost Containment System
has decreed an end to organ transplants. Maybe the bitterest irony is
that the inhumane policy won’t actually
save any money. One of the roughly 100 citizens affected explained to
Arizona Republic columnist E.J. Montini:
“I can’t work anymore, and we ran out of (insurance) coverage a while
back,” he said. “It’s terrible needing help.
It’s not what I wanted. But when you run out of money, what can you do?
If I don’t get a transplant, I guess the
state won’t have to pay for me or worry about me until I walk into an
emergency room close to dying. They can’t
turn me away then.”
No, they can’t. Human hospitals can’t refuse patients for lack of cash.
Meanwhile, not a peep of protest
from Palin, Boehner or any of the Republicans who waxed hysterical over
the absurd allegation that
“Obamacare” would lead to government-sponsored euthanasia.
But if people die for lack money, that’s the GOP way.
to negotiate and for Christ's sake, stop giving the GOP everything they ask for - - and then more.
If he negotiates health care like he negotiated the tax cut, nobody is safe but the super-rich.