Friday, February 17, 2012

Death is an OPTION.?! (Healthcare)

We all talk and worry about the future of healthcare:  quality, cost, availability, technology, etc.  It's been a national / international issue for a long time and it will continue to be in the future.  Medical technology and care and pharmaceuticals and biotechnology always gets better and better.  And they always get more and more expensive.  Should the "government" fund all of this?  But isn't the "government" you and me and all of our tax dollars.  Populations are increasing and people are living longer and longer.  Can we afford the increasing cost of healthcare.  Evidence.  Look for evidence.  People have always talked about saving money through efficiency.  But is that really possible?  And how much will it help control medical prices.  Will we have to ration healthcare?  Isn't it an expensive and scarce resource?  Supply and demand.  If supply is scarce prices will go up, and up.  And who will pay for all of this?  Who will be able to pay for all of this?

In America we all consider death to be an option, not an inevitable event that we all must participate in, especially when it comes to end of life healthcare.  We want everything possible to be done medically for our parents, grandparents, etc. no matter what the cost is.  Avastin is $100,000/month and is said to prolong life no more than 3 months.  Have any of us said STOP.  I am sick and I am dying so do not prolong my life with expensive healthcare?  Not many Americans say this.  Eventually we may have no option but to accept that it sure is difficult but the time has come to cease funding palliative care of very sick and dying loved ones.

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