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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Nov. 3, 2009 / 16 Mar-Cheshvan 5770
Health Care Overhaul IV: This Time, It's Personal
By
Mona Charen
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
I labeled it "Health Care Overhaul IV" for convenience. In fact, a new
2,000-page behemoth seems to emerge more than once a week from the maw
of Congress, so it's becoming impossible to keep track.
Until now, my reasons for opposing this fright mask were entirely
dispassionate and flowed from 1) common sense (how are they going to
provide more care for less money, and can we afford another huge
entitlement when existing ones are going bankrupt?); 2) experience
(government entitlements always cost far more than
projections and government is far less efficient at providing services
than the private sector); and 3) philosophy (the way to reduce prices is
to increase competition not reduce it). But now the proposals being
considered will hit my family particularly hard. This time, it's
personal.
In order to pay for its new entitlement, the Senate Finance Committee
bill (Baucus) proposes to tax medical device manufacturers $40 billion
over the next 10 years. To the average person, medical device
manufacturers may not mean much. They produce heart monitors, stents,
and pacemakers.
They also produce insulin pumps. My 16-year-old son, who has had Type I
diabetes (an autoimmune disease distinct from Type II) since the age of
9, depends on a pump to live a reasonably normal life. If he didn't have
an insulin pump a device the size of a cell phone that delivers
insulin through a tube directly under his skin he would be required
to give himself as many as four injections a day, as he did before he
got the pump. And his life expectancy would be shorter.
In just the six years since David began using the pump, the technology
has improved markedly. Whereas he used to have to insert the catheter
(which must be changed every three days) with a 2-inch needle, he now
uses a much less painful spring-operated inserter. The programming has
become more sophisticated as well. The pump can now deliver carefully
calibrated doses for high-carb foods like pizza and ice cream foods
that are otherwise parlous for diabetics to enjoy and the pump is
preset with carb counts for many common foods.
Insulin pumps provide better blood sugar control than other diabetes
treatments. But they are far from perfect. Even careful users will
frequently experience highs (which increase the likelihood of long-term
complications like heart disease and blindness) and lows (which can be
immediately life-threatening).
Yes, we families with Type I pray for a cure. But the recent progress in
technology has offered really tantalizing possibilities. Medical device
manufacturers have recently debuted a new technology that is key to the
health of Type I diabetics continuous glucose monitors. These provide
24/7 data on the patient's blood sugar to supplement the six daily
finger sticks. Eventually, the combination of these two technologies
the insulin pump and the continuous glucose monitor could provide the
Holy Grail for Type I diabetics: an artificial pancreas. The AP would
keep blood glucose at normal or near normal levels and thus prevent
worst effects of diabetes. We've heard estimates that the technology may
become available within five years.
Unless the medical device industry is hit with a major tax.
While the U.S. leads the world in medical technology, most device makers
are not huge conglomerates, but smaller companies already hurting in
this recession. According to the Advanced Medical Technology
Association, the industry consists of about 6,000 companies, most of
which earn less than $100 million annually. The chief executive of B.
Braun Medical, which makes pain control devices, told the Washington
Post that paying his share of the new tax would "exceed my research and
development budget." The $4 billion annual tax would represent about 40
percent of the industry's outlay for research and development ($9.6
billion).
If this tax is enacted, medical device manufacturers will cut back
drastically on R and D, and may have to lay off employees. In addition,
they will charge higher prices for their products to compensate for the
money confiscated by Washington. Since health insurance plans frequently
cover half or more of the cost of these already expensive products,
health insurance rates would have to rise as well. This is just one more
example of the ways health care costs would be driven up, not down, by
the Democrats' reforms.
As for David, he will see the prospect of an artificial pancreas his
greatest hope for a healthier and longer life recede over the
horizon.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
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Mona Charen Archives
© 2006, Creators Syndicate
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