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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
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Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
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May 22, 2012
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Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
March 24, 2010
/ 9 Nissan 5770
‘Best practices’ — but for whom?
By Marybeth Hicks
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
The high-stakes political maneuvering leading up to the passage of Obamacare included a few moments of candor not often exhibited by members of Congress.
For example, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi declared on March 10, "We have to pass the bill in order for you to find out what is in it."
And during a meeting of the House Rules Committee on Saturday, Rep. Alcee Hastings admitted, "When the deal goes down, all this talk about rules … we make them up as we go along."
With this sort of honesty from representatives in Congress, it's actually shocking that 64 percent of the voting public strongly disapproves of the job they are doing.
Though the bill has been signed into law, the debate about the merits of the legislation continues.
In particular, proponents on both sides of the abortion issue question the compromise gesture of an executive order to limit federal funding of abortion, the solution that enabled Rep. Bart Stupak and other pro-life Democrats to join their party in passing the bill despite the lack of legislative language limiting federally funded abortion services.
Pro-life advocates note that an executive order is easily reversed and expect President Obama will do so when the furor over health reform subsides. Pro-abortion advocates fear the executive order represents "a significant rollback in reproductive rights," a concern expressed by Jehmu Greene of the Women's Media Center, appearing on Fox News.
"Bart Stupak had an agenda," Ms. Greene said, "to have the government intrude, to come into my home and come into your home and insist on a medical decision that the government wants to see happen. That's not what this bill does."
Sorry, Ms. Greene. That's exactly what this bill does. Unfortunately, her myopic focus on abortion rights has blinded Ms. Greene to the reality that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, written in such legalese and jargon as to be virtually indecipherable to most citizens, nonetheless clearly puts the government in charge of our health decisions in ways we have yet to imagine.
Throughout the behemoth legislation are countless new boards, commissions and oversight bureaus designed to assess quality of care, design "best practices" and force — through incentives and penalties — the implementation of the government's idea of beneficial health services. Those "best practices" will not necessarily reflect the desires of doctors and patients, but the treatments that pass the government's cost/benefit analyses.
This is one of the harsh realities of health care reform often cited by experts such as Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, an advisor to the administration (and brother of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel).
Anticipating such interference into their profession, roughly a third of current practicing physicians say they will quit the practice of medicine or retire early in part to avoid the government's takeover of their decision-making power, this according to a survey released last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
As for the "right" to abortion coverage, the reason to keep it out of the bill isn't only to protect a huge segment of our society from paying for what we consider the unjust murder of innocent children. Consider that rights typically come with commensurate responsibilities, and in the world of government "best practices," abortion could actually be mandated.
It's not as crazy as it sounds. I was 37 when I delivered my fourth child, old enough to be deemed "high risk" for having a baby with certain birth defects. My doctor suggested amniocentesis to rule out genetic defects. Learning that there was nothing that could be done in utero to address any potential problems my baby might have, I declined the test. I knew my daughter might not be in perfect health, but she would be perfect for us regardless. An abortion was out of the question.
Is that a choice every pregnant woman will be able to make in the future, or will high-risk moms automatically be subject to "best practices" that may include aborting a child who knowingly will be born with serious (read: expensive) medical problems?
The same question goes for cancer treatment and transplant surgery and even hip replacement. The right of a patient to choose his or her treatment will soon be subject to the government's idea of what is "best."
Begs, the question, best for whom?
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JWR contributor Marybeth Hicks, a wife of more than 20 years and mother of four children, lives in the Midwest. She uses her column to share her perspective on issues and experiences that shape families nationwide.
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