Teapot calls kettle black

Rolling Stone writer Matt Taibibi recently reported on a tea party rally in Kentucky and noticed a lot of medical hardware, including portable oxygen tanks and scooters:

“As Palin launches into her Ronald Reagan impression – ‘Government’s not the solution! Government’s the problem!’ – the person sitting next to me leans over and explains. ‘The scooters are because of Medicare,’ he whispers helpfully. They have these commercials down here: ‘You won’t even have to pay for your scooter! Medicare will pay!’ Practically everyone in Kentucky has one.”

Ah, just another verse in the American political classic, “Cut the Other Guy’s Spending.” Here’s my ode to this phenomenon:

A nation is riled; it’s found its old mojo

It’s fighting off change, and Gap’s new logo.

“I’m not a witch” – reminds us of Nixon

Will Delaware elect this tea party vixen?

“Take back America” is the new battle cry

We’ve tried the smart people, give others a try.

We need to cut spending, leave nothing to spare

Take your socialist hands off my old Medicare.

What’s that you say? A benefits freeze?

I must have a COLA, cut something else, please.

Slashing defense? Now there’s a big error

We must stay the course in this war against terror.

So there’s your solutions, it’s really quite easy

And close that doughnut hole, it’s making us queasy.

Throw out the bums, elect the straight shooters

Sure hope the government covers our scooters.

Screen out waste. Many Medicare patients with late-stage terminal cancers are still being screened for other cancers, according to a study published in the Oct. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. In response, Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society, asks what happens if the tests come back positive: “I hope doctors would not be doing additional procedures on people who are nearing the end of their lives.”

That would certainly be ill-advised, but if no treatment is to come from the screening, why do it in the first place?

Death of reform. In the early drafts of health care bills were measures that would directly confront the kind of wasteful spending outlined above. But opponents seized the rhetorical initiative, branding these Medicare cost savings “rationing.” Nobody ever suggested that tests and treatments be banned. The discussion was about what taxpayers should pay for. If the government rejected payment, patients could still proceed on their own dime.

End-of-life care is extremely expensive. Frank discussions among patients, their loved ones and physicians ought to be encouraged. But with one blast of “death panels,” reforms were distorted and then significantly watered down. Sensible changes became pilot projects.

Now, “Obamacare” opponents are running campaign ads decrying “cuts” to Medicare. Yeah, wouldn’t want to deprive people of unneeded tests and procedures. Those are always a good time.

As a result, health costs will continue to soar, and Americans will continue to get lousy value for our ridiculously high spending. Two recent studies show that while more patients are increasingly availing themselves of palliative care and hospice, spending on end-of-life care still hasn’t leveled off.