"The Deadly Pact: How ObamaCare will 'Save' Money"
( American Thinker - - August 9, 2010 )
Although media reports covering ObamaCare have centered mainly on the
health insurance mandate and hidden tax increases, the real danger of
ObamaCare is the limit imposed on hospital readmissions for those using
Medicare.
"We Don't Need Health-Care Rationing"
( Kitsap Sun - - August 4, 2010 )
Obamacare is dependent on cutting nearly $500 million from Medicare in
order to partially fund the rest of the new health-care system. With his
embrace of the British rationing model, Dr. Berwick may be the right
person to achieve that objective.
"Obamacare Only Looks Worse Upon Further Review"
( Bloomberg News - - August 1, 2010 )
Based on the administration's own numbers, as many as 17 million people
might have to change their health plans by 2013 as their
employer-provided coverage loses its grandfathered status and becomes
subject to the new Obamacare mandates.
"Welcome to Washington, Dr. Berwick"
( The Leaf Chronicle - - July 18, 2010 )
Dr. Donald Berwick, the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services. praised the British National Healthcare System (NHS)
at its 60th anniversary meeting for implementing a socialized health
care system - rather choosing America's plan. But a 2009 NHS audit
found that health care managers put cost cutting ahead of patient care
and cited that "appalling standards of care" may hae contributed to the
deaths of up to 1,200 people in just one hospital.
"Cash crisis in NHS leaves patients lying on operating tables"
( Telegraph - - July 18, 2010 )
A cash crisis in the NHS leaves patients lying on operating tables
before doctors realised vital equipment had not been ordered....Women in
labour have been forced to wait while epidural equipment was borrowed
from other hospitals....vital equipment is regularly not ordered.
"In special deal, charity gives rationing advocate Berwick
health coverage for life"
( Washington Examiner - - July 14, 2010 )
Donald Berwick, recess-appointed by President Obama to head
Medicare and Medicaid, is a well-known advocate of health care
rationing and admirer of Britain's National Health Service. As
it turns out, Berwick himself does not have to deal with the
anxieties created by limited access to care and the extent of
the coverage. Berwick and his wife will have health coverage
"from retirement until death."
"Health Care Rationing Obama Believes In"
( Real Clear Politics - - July 12, 2010 )
Nat Hentoff, a nationally recognized authority on the First
Amendment and the Bill of Rights, discusses Donald Berwick.
Berwick, as the new head of Medicare and Medicaid, will be
involved in the government-controlled health care of more than
100 million Americans.
"GOP says Obama avoiding questions about CMS head's ties to
industry"
( The Hill - - July 8, 2010 )
A Republican memo charges the Obama administration with avoiding
questions, including whether Donald Berwick had links to
Compassion and Choices, the former Hemlock Society.
"The President's One-Man Death Panel"
( Investor's Business Daily - - July 8, 2010 )
Donald Berwick has praised the U.K.'s health system. If he wants
to imitate Britain's model, perhaps he can explain why breast
cancer in America has a 25% mortality rate while in Britain it's
almost double at 46%. Prostate cancer is fatal to 19% of
American men; in Britain it kills 57% of those it strikes.
"White House recess-appointed Berwick after questions about $49M
nonprofit group"
( Washington Examiner - - July 8, 2010 )
Three days after Donald Berwick was asked for detailed
information about the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI),
a nonprofit organization he founded and for which he serves as
CEO, President Obama used a recess appointment to place Berwick
in charge of Medicare and Medicaid. As CEO of the IHI, Berwick
received $2.3 million in compensation in 2008. Sources of
funding for the multi-million dollar organization are not known.
"Obama's New Medicare Head: A Fan of Health Care Rationing?"
( Forbes - - July 8, 2010 )
David Berwick has commented on where Comparative Effectiveness
Research (CER) fits into national health policy. When asked if
it would lead to rationing of health care, he said that the
social budget is limited....The decision is not whether or not
we will ration care - the decision is whether we will ration
with our eyes open.
"Obama to Bypass Senate to Name Health Official"
( New York Times - - July 7, 2010 )
President Obama is bypassing Congress, naming controversial Dr.
Donald Berwick in a recess appointment to run Medicare and
Medicaid. Berwick has supported efforts to "reduce the total
supply of high-technology medical and surgical care" and has
expressed great admiration for the British health care system.
"Obama nominee heralded despite 'honorary' titles"
( Washington Times - - July 6, 2010 )
When the White House announced Dr. Donald Berwick as President
Obama's choice to lead the $800 billion Medicare and Medicaid
agency in April, officials hailed his long list of credentials.
But Dr. Berwick hasn't seen a patient for years.
"Debating health care through nominees in waiting"
( Washington Post - - July 3, 2010 )
Donald Berwick, President Obama's choice to head up the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has said, "Most people who
have serious pain do not need advanced methods; they just need
the morphine and counseling that have been available for
centuries."
"Rethinking Comparative Effectiveness Research" 
( Biotechnology Healthcare - - June 1, 2009 )
Asked if Comparative Effectiveness Research will lead to
rationing of health care, Dr. Donald Berwick said, "The
decision is not whether or not we will ration care - the
decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open."
"Health care rationing is bound to come"
( Desert Dispatch - - June 29, 2010 )
Critics of Obamacare were severely attacked for using allegedly
overheated rhetoric such as "death panels." But given the fact
that an 18-member Independent Payment Advisory Board will be
established to set "quality and efficiency" standards that
doctors will be forced to follow after 2015, that rhetoric does
not appear to be so overheated after all.
"Special
Report: Health Care Law: New Words, Same Meaning"
( ITF Update - - June 2010 )
Words that caused a firestorm during the debate over health care
reform can't be found in the law as passed, but the practices
they referred to are in the law. New words, same
problem.
"Why Donald Berwick is Dangerous to Your Health"
( Real Clear Politics - - May 26, 2010 )
President Obama's nomination of Donald Berwick M.D. to head
HHS's Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services eliminates any
lingering doubt he seeks to impose state-run medicine and a
European style health care system on America. According to
Berwick, "Any healthcare funding plan that is just, equitable,
civilized and humane, must redistribute wealth.... There needs
to be global budget caps on total healthcare spending for
designated populations."
"ObamaCare High School: Reading, Writing, and Suicide
Assistance?"
( American Thinker - WA, USA- April 14, 2010 )
In Washington State, an 18-year-old high school senior could be
"qualified" for assisted suicide at a school-based health
clinic. Within two weeks, she could be referred to an assisted
suicide advocacy group and provided with a prescription for a
lethal drug overdose. She could take it. And die - without her
parents even knowing she was ill. It would all be perfectly
legal.
"Special
Report: In the name of health care reform"
( ITF Update - - February 2010 )
Senate and House bills contain expansive social programs.
"Deja
vu a nightmare for Dems?"
( Politico - - January 31, 2010 )
Senate and House leaders looking at three different options to gain approval for
health care overhaul. More
"Democrats quietly working to resuscitate healthcare overhaul"
( Los Angeles Times - January 30, 2010 )
The campaign to overhaul the nation's healthcare system is officially on the
back burner as Democrats turn to the task of stimulating job growth, but behind
the scenes party leaders have nearly settled on a strategy to salvage the
massive legislation. More
"Talking Seniors to Death"
( American Thinker - September 6, 2009 )
Seniors will have less money to spend next year but they may not have to live on
such meager funds for long. The government is going to help them plan how they
want to die....Section 1233 of the current House bill (HR 3200) didn't just show
up on the doorstep of health care reform, but was packaged and delivered by
Compassion & Choices, the assisted-suicide advocacy group previously known as
the Hemlock Society. More
Can we afford
"America's Affordable Health Choices Act"?
What does Section 1233 of HR 3200 do? What does the
"continuum of of end-of-life services" mean? Why is
Compassion & Choices (the former Hemlock Society)
leading the charge for Section 1233?
