Save Money, Save an Amputation

Posted by Lorren on August 12, 2009

Do doctors purposely withhold care to make more money?

Is Obama trying to suggest in this video that we prevent amputations to save money? I don’t know about you, but I have faith that most doctors want to help you stay well. But a doctor can’t force someone to eat the right foods, take their medication, etc. Oh, and the doctor that performs the amputation is not the same doctor that does the preventative care.

You can’t prevent these amputations by simply giving someone preventative care when they don’t want to take the necessary steps. This is one aspect of a free country. Nobody can make you take your medicine, go on a diet, etc.

If Obamacare passes, the government will have an incentive to save money… after all, those amputations are expensive. Could it be possible that the government might have more incentives to ensure that you eat right? Perhaps we should expect the taxes on chips, soda, and McDonald’s to go up if this health care system passes. Not only will fewer people consume these items when they cost more, but you can use the money to help pay for their health care! Haven’t they already done that, to some degree, with smokers?

We’re already seeing in other countries with socialized medicine, like Britain, how overweight people are being denied treatment like hip replacements until they lose weight. That could be our future.