I have been noting the draconian steps the UK is taking and considering to cut costs to its government run health care system. These cost cutting measures include panels who decide what life styles should be barred from treatments, whether the system should be designed to only deal with the sick and not focus on cures, and whether growing old is one of those nasty life style habits (like smoking, drinking and being obese) that makes patients unworthy of treatments. Here are the key points and links to the ongoing debate about the future of the UK NHS:

The UK is already consideringchanging their government run system from curing the ill to only keeping the healthy healthy:

Already around one in ten hospitals refuse to carry out joint replacements for obese patients or orthopaedic surgery on smokers.

The contract, first floated by Tony Blair was proposed by Gordon Brown in a New Year message to Health Service staff today.

The Prime Minister believes a new focus on the prevention of ill health, rather than curing it, is essential for a modern NHS.

The shift in focus has clear results for the UK, as noted here:

Smokers, heavy drinkers, the obese and the elderly should be barred from receiving some operations, according to doctors, with most saying the health service cannot afford to provide free care to everyone.

These are from main stream media outlets in the UK and illustrate quite clearly what will happen to America if it follows the foolish proposals of the DC liberals and their fantasy driven base to introduce government run health care. A second example of why we don’t want a government run health care system here is now popping up in Canada (the other example of what liberals want for American health care):

Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care and she adds that physicians from across the country – who will gather in Saskatoon on Sunday for their annual meeting – recognize that changes must be made.

“We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,” Doing said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

The pitch for change at the conference is to start with a presentation from Dr. Robert Ouellet, the current president of the CMA, who has said there’s a critical need to make Canada’s health-care system patient-centred. He will present details from his fact-finding trip to Europe in January, where he met with health groups in England, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and France.

His thoughts on the issue are already clear. Ouellet has been saying since his return that “a health-care revolution has passed us by,” that it’s possible to make wait lists disappear while maintaining universal coverage and “that competition should be welcomed, not feared.”

In other words, Ouellet believes there could be a role for private health-care delivery within the public system.

Anyone else find it ironic that Canada might be moving to a system more like ours to deal with the challenges of their faltering government run option? What is happening in Canada is disturbingly similar to what is happening in the UK:

The Fraser Health Authority confirmed Thursday it intends to cut surgeries, seniors’ programs and services for the mentally ill to help deal with a budget shortfall of up to $160 million.

It seems that in this part of Canada being senior and mentally ill is worthy of being denied treatments. More cost savings, Canadian style, are coming in other parts of Canada:

This spring, nurses were shocked by a sudden hiring freeze and talk of reducing their numbers. Managers scrambled when 100 positions were cut. The Royal Alexandra Hospital cancelled 15 per cent of elective surgeries to meet a new budget directive, and two Edmonton hospitals cut back on MRIs. Frustrated doctors say the cuts will only lengthen wait times. Like nurses, they don’t like a new code of ethics for health-care workers that looks like a gag order to them.

The Alberta public, taken aback by the out-of-the-blue budget cuts and already wary of health reform, just got more nervous. What, they ask, is happening with their health-care system?

It’s always the elderly (with their massive health care costs) who seem to be the target of government cost savings. So why is America aiming at a system of health care which has been soundly proven in Canada and the UK to have failed financially to the point both countries has started deciding who is worthy of care?

Tags: Obamacare