Santorum pushes discredited stroke claim

[doggie]

What gets me about this so much is he would cut medical coverage to so many people if he had a choice.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum on Friday backed prominent conservative James Dobson's claim that President Barack Obama's administration would block medical treatment for stroke patients over age 70. Professional medical groups have called such statements bogus.

During a forum inside a church, Dobson cited an anonymous caller to a conservative radio show who said "for patients over 70 years of age, that advanced neurosurgical care was not generally indicated." The caller claimed that patients would be offered "comfort care" unless a panel of bureaucrats approved more significant treatment.

"That's called 'death panels.' Sarah Palin was right. That means death to that person," said Dobson, founder of the conservative group Focus on the Family.

Palin, the GOP's vice presidential nominee in 2008, coined the term "death panel" in response to the administration's health care law, although her argument was roundly criticized as inaccurate.

Santorum seemed to go along with Dobson, arguing that government-run health care would result in limits on care. He brought Obama's health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, into the argument.

"When you become a cost, then the government starts to allocate resources," Santorum said. "Well, who should we be allocating these resources to? We shouldn't be allocating it to 70-year-old of people who have strokes, according to Kathleen Sebelius."

The regulation does not exist, medical professionals said.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons said in a joint statement they were "unaware of any federal government document directing that advanced neurosurgery for patients over 70 years of age will not be indicated and only supportive care treatment will be provided."

The groups also said the suggestions run counter to their responsibility as health care professionals.

"Neurosurgeons are committed to providing timely, compassionate, and state of the art treatment for all patients - regardless of age - who have neurosurgical conditions," the groups said, asking radio host Mark Levin to remove the November radio clip from his website.

The Health and Human Services Department also rejected the allegation.

"These claims are absolutely false and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons have both gone on the record to denounce these false rumors as well," spokeswoman Erin Shields said in a statement.

Dobson, who has endorsed Santorum's candidacy and has joined him at campaign-style appearances, seemed unaware of the disputed statement.

"Secretary Sebelius in the Obama administration, within the Obamacare plan, decreed a few weeks ago that as of January first of next year, if you are over 60 years of age - I beg your pardon - if you're over 70 years of age and you have a cranial bleed - blood is running into your brain, which is a horrible condition, it destroys the brain tissue, if you survive it, you will never the same again - they decreed that you will not be granted treatment," Dobson said.

[Three and Done]

Sickening. Scare tactics and fear-mongering (oh, and a bunch of flat-out LIES) to win votes.

:(

[MrsYoungie]

Whereas without Obama-care anyone of any age without insurance will not be granted treatment.

Assholes.

And I wish they could point to the chapter and verse of the health care act that invokes "death panels". Certainly no other country with health care has such a thing, why would they?

[doggie]

Sickening. Scare tactics and fear-mongering (oh, and a bunch of flat-out LIES) to win votes.

:(

he wants to be a normal politician so he has to lie. I thought lying was a sin???

[Sola]

Right, anonymous callers? That's credible is it? Come on, surely people who vote for him aren't that stupid?

[YPestis]

Most other countries do ration health care and that's a GOOD thing. We throw so much health care dollars on futile cases because docs are afraid of being sued, and families are afraid of loved ones dying. I'm currently doing a critical care rotation and I've seen so many cases of demented 90 year olds who are septic, on a vent and a dozen medical drips whose family wants us to DO EVERYTHING. What to know where your tax dollars are wasted? That's it. We torture elderly patients with treatments that are geared for young, relatively healthy people with health reserves so that families don't feel guilty about "pulling the plug".

Conservatives talk about small gov't, but they never acknowledge that health care dollars are sunken predominately in the 5% of the sickest patients, some of whom have no quality of life, are spending their remaining years in an ICU, being poked and jab, lying naked for all to see. It's not the "illegals" or healthy uninsured running the country's health care dollars dry. It's the very old, the super premies which is costing so much care. Yet we want to throw the book at these people despite evidence to the contrary.

I've met right wing doctors who are incredulous that people don't ration health care at this point. No one wants to deny health care to those that are sick. But shouldn't we be more judicious with the precious health care dollars we have? I'd rather make sure money is available to the 70 year old with the cranial bleed than have that money allocated to the 90 year old vegetable with no hope of coming out of their coma.

I guess it seems like no politician understands how health care works and most are talking out of their asses. What's worse, your average joe doesn't understand it either and are voting based on unsubstantiated fear of "death panels". What's wrong with health care in this country? We all want EVERYTHING done for EVERYONE. People will need to wake up to the idea that just because we CAN do something, doesn't mean we should. And sometimes, it's better to let nature takes its course.

We spend more on health care dollars than most other developed nations and have a poorer showings. It's because people we can save go without in order for us to spend on people who have no chance. Sadly, the reason this is happening is because people, at the beginning and end of life, are disconnected from the cost. People want to spend $100k of tax payer's money for the 1 in a million chance that their loved ones will walk and talk again after 10 years spent in a coma. That same $100k could have been used on prenatal care, on vaccinations, on medical education.....It's highly unpopular talking about rationing health care, but we are already doing it, by denying the working poor health care. We just ration it in the most inefficient way possible, by providing unlimited money on hopeless cases and let those that still have a chance fend for themselves. How's that for death panels?

[Three and Done]

Anyone else note the irony of Santorum using health care as a way to win votes? This is a man who CHOSE to bring a child into the world that will require the expenditure of large amounts of health care dollars with no possible change in the outcome...Oh WAIT - he has insurance!!

He makes me sick.

[Three and Done]

YPestis - I agree with you completely. We DO spend far too much money on end of life care that ultimately does nothing more than extend a patient's misery. Palliative care needs to become a far greater part of our treatment of the advanced elderly and the terminally ill.

[countressrascal]

YPestis you are right on point.

I will give you a personal insight to Mr. Frosty viewpoints-My grandfather lived in PA and had a major stroke (20 yrs ago), prior to him having the stroke he had a Medical Directive drawn up, and however in the state of PA, the state did not honor them. Primarily due to Mr. Frosty pushing through a bill that Medical directives where drawn up when the person is healthily and only God could take someone life it was not up to the family or the person. Everyone in the family knew our grandfather’s wishes. He did not want any out of the normal lifesaving procedures, no feeding tubes etc. Our family to fulfill his wishes had to go to court every month to carry out his wishes. He did come out of his coma and lived for another six months, died of pneumonia at home. Every time we went to court there were protestors for life in front of the court house.

We do have rationed healthcare in the US for a number of reasons 1) health insurance companies tell you where you can go and who you can see 2) Working poor do not have access to preventive care so they present to ER, the most costly care, because under Federal Law you cannot turn them away or not care for them.

Everyone needs to understand that it is the practice of medicine; providers do not have all the answers we cannot cure everyone some people are going to die no matter what your age is.

FYI If we had rationed healthcare his “beloved†Bella would have already died.