Repub Rep: I Don’t Think Someone Who Is Diagnosed With Brain Tumor Should Have Health Care Provided

[Swede Atlanta]

49. In one respect I agree with him.....

At some point in this country we are going to have to accept the notion that healthcare must be rationed. There is only so much healthcare to go around and so many resources we can spend. Advances in medicine and technology enable us to treat and keep people alive much longer than before.

Today that rationing is done either by ability to pay (if you are without insurance) or by who insurers will insure, what they will cover, annual and lifetime caps, etc. The issue of who will be insured, minimum amount to be covered and elimination of caps are part of the ACA.

All of that is good. But at the same time, if someone is diagnosed with a terminal disease or is so badly damaged in an accident that their chances of survival and recovery are extremely remote, can we afford to spend precious healthcare resources on these cases? Or should these cases be treated with palliative care?

None of us want to discuss this but this is the elephant in the room. Do we spend potentially tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep grandma alive with machines and expensive drugs, etc. even if that is only likely to extend her life a few weeks or months? Or should we be a compassionate people, keep her comfortable, and let she and her family have some quality of time together?

These same Republicans, however, that want to deny someone with cancer, healthcare, are the same ones that would deny someone the right to die with dignity and who would try to keep mom alive regardless of the cost.