Death panels continued – breast cancer screening

The Preventative Services Task Force released it’s findings on the proper protocol for breast cancer screening, suggesting mammograms be conducted semi-annually after a woman reaches 50. Democrats would have you believe they are just recommendations … but if the Reid bill becomes law, the recommendations would be law. Death panels? You decide.

Below Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) details how the task force guidelines would indeed become law, despite what the Democrats will tell you and she has chapter and verse to back up her point. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz seems caught off guard and so does Senator Nelson as they stick to their talking points. Worth watching all the way to the end to hear what Senator and Doctor Tom Coburn has to say.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZNDIOWatqw

Here’s something to think about. Is it more stunning that Wasserman-Schultz didn’t seem to know this was in the bill, or that the “task force protocol” was in the bill in the first place?

Posted in ,

Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

11 Comments

  1. Anne-EH on November 23, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    Jim, this whole Senate healthcare bill, from the first to the last pages is one big TURKEY of a bill. What was proposed last week for women and preventive screenings from that panel will be iron-clad into LAW. THROW THE TURKEYS WHO VOTED FOR THIS TRAIN WRECK IN THE MAKING OUT IN 2010!



  2. Dimsdale on November 23, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    What a crying shame (sarcasm) that the Democrats are not smart enough to actually have read the bill and know what is in it.  The Republicans, particularly my new hero, Marsha Blackburn, have read it, can quote it, and are running rings around Dems like Wasserman-Schultz, who looked like a fool in this bit.  Even Stephanopolous had to correct her with the bill's language.  Documented proof that they are voting on this garbage and haven't a clue about what they are voting on.  This is what happens when Congress exempts itself from the very legislation it writes.  If it affected them, you can bet they would have read it.

     

    To paraphrase an old adage for the Democrats: Don't come to a gunfight with overcooked spaghetti.



    • fifer1812 on November 23, 2009 at 5:01 pm

      This clip just proves that the Democrats want to move us to Socialist Country, like 2/3 of Europe.  Bureaucrats have not right to tell me if I fall into a A, B, D, F, I classification.  Any preventive screening/tests is my decision based on my family and personal health history WITH the GUIDANCE OF MY PHYSICIAN,  I hope Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman hear what the majority of the people are screaming.  Yes, there are those who currently go without medical Its the bureaucacy that is skinking this country.  Goverment is not the answer.



  3. Erik Blazynski on November 23, 2009 at 6:51 pm

    If they came out and recommended that women have 2 mamograms a year would you say that they are planning to abuse the system?  These recommendation are the best thing if you are forced to have a public option. You force woman to pay out of pocket every other year if they want the procedure. So you force people to take both financial and personal responsibility for their own health care. God forbid!!  Look, you want the public option to be the worst coverage out there. But conservatives have learned to just find any little thing to nit pick and complain about, they are so deep in the weeds that they are missing the big picture. If this legislation is going to happen then you need to support this kind of stuff. What ever happened to the  old values of personal responsibility.

    Furthermore, the representative says that cancer screenings would be free. THIS IS THE IMPORTANT POINT. First of all, I don't think that they are going to find very many people do donate time and facilities to do cancer screenings. This means that SOMEONE IS paying for it. This is the exact opposite direction that should be taken, this is how the market got screwed up in the first place by making things low/no cost to the end user.



  4. donh on November 23, 2009 at 7:10 pm

    Sargeant Wasserman Schultz is exhibit A that America is now living in the  brave new world envisioned by the German Thule Society. Mammograms are set to be rationed, and Sgt. Schultz says " I See NOTHING !" . First america imports the socialized medicine model. Now we  import the  socialist criteria for rationing care. Denial of essential  services will be justified on grounds that every other industrialized nation withholds care along the same guidelines. The Death Panel will surely  include an imported British expert on how things are done in the UK as they have so many more years of experiance in selecting who gets to live and die…. A medical bureocratic  version  of Simon Cowel who is most adept at condemning people to career death without feeling the slightest guilt of conscience.  I do feel the whole death panel thing should be televised. Let the american people vote on which 7 of 10 cancer patients get treatment and which 3 get stiffed with a gracious thanks but no thanks, been nice knowing you ! Have a nice day ! 



  5. gillie28 on November 23, 2009 at 11:11 pm

    In the UK news today: A cancer-fighting drug, known to extend life by at least two years, is being banned by the National Health because it is not "cost effective."  It is being offered in other European countries.



  6. sammy22 on November 24, 2009 at 7:38 am

    Erik gets it.



    • Steve McGough on November 24, 2009 at 2:57 pm

      How can you say that “Erik gets it” when you prefer a single payer system? I’ve frequently stated we need to get the government out of health care and return to a free market system as Erik has mentioned. That’s not single payer.

      I think Erik would agree with me the health care system has been crushed due to a perception of value. People think going to the doctor costs $15, and if you need to go to the ER, it only costs an extra $10. Erik’s point about the congress-critter stating stuff will be “free” is the BIG issue here. Again – perception of value.

      Erik and I certainly do not take the same approach to thinking through issues, but I’m pretty certain he does not want single payer like you (sammy22) do. What Erik is stating is that if we must have a government option plan this – changes in care protocol to the point where people will be forced into taking responsibility – will be reality and should be welcomed.

      All of that said, many are concerned if that happens (govt. plans), there will not be enough docs and machines around to provide those extra services and if available, the costs could be huge.



  7. Jeff S on November 24, 2009 at 6:20 pm

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is remember CT during the early 90's.  We didn't want a state income tax, Weicker did, after months of state shutdowns he finally got his votes.  The big demonstration at the capital and an arrogant Weicker walking right through the protesters (on a Saturday).  The legislators that voted for the tax and were defeated the next election, Weicker took care of them.  Just a question, the $300 million dollar Louisiana purchase, where is that money come from and isn't it part this bill this increasing the cost?



  8. geronim0 on November 25, 2009 at 4:01 am

    The screening should be mandatory and free for every citizen prone to breast cancer. Better health care should also be provided



    • Steve McGough on November 25, 2009 at 4:46 am

      Ahh yes, that "free" word again. I think food and drinkable water should be "free", with out it we can die within a week. Your heart is in the right place, but the world does not work that way. Doctors and health care providers need to get paid. Companies need to make some money on widgets they make so they can do research and development to make better widgets – allowing their technology to save more lives. There is no free lunch.



The website's content and articles were migrated to a new framework in October 2023. You may see [shortcodes in brackets] that do not make any sense. Please ignore that stuff. We may fix it at some point, but we do not have the time now.

You'll also note comments migrated over may have misplaced question marks and missing spaces. All comments were migrated, but trackbacks may not show.

The site is not broken.