Mayo Clinic in Arizona to Stop Treating Some Medicare Patients

 Backlash from Obamacare has begun:

Dec. 31 (Bloomberg) -- The Mayo Clinic, praised by President Barack Obama as a national model for efficient health care, will stop accepting Medicare patients as of tomorrow at one of its primary-care clinics in Arizona, saying the U.S. government pays too little. 

More than 3,000 patients eligible for Medicare, the government’s largest health-insurance program, will be forced to pay cash if they want to continue seeing their doctors at a Mayo family clinic in Glendale, northwest of Phoenix, said Michael Yardley, a Mayo spokesman. The decision, which Yardley called a two-year pilot project, won’t affect other Mayo facilities in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.

Read the full story here.

Mayo Clinic's Dr. Cortese Interview on Health Care 8/3/09:



Doctors are now opting out of Medicare because the government simply pays too little and the direction that this administration is headed in certainly doesn't give much hope for improving the situation.

So why not a statement saying so?

Sister Carol Keehan is upset by a report in the New York times that the Catholic Health Association is split with the USCCB in regards to the health care bill passed by the Senate. Fair enough - anything printed in the NYT is worth closer inspection and large rocks of salt.

"There is not a shred of disagreement between CHA and the bishops," she said. "We believe there is a great possibility and probability that in conference committee we can work toward a solution that will prevent federal funding of abortion."[reference]

Though I would have to wonder why the CHA has made no public complaints of the passed Senate bill? This bill without a doubt provides for federally funded abortions along with a host of other problems. Yet their site has made no statements since the 17th of December. That statement said:

The Catholic Health Association is pleased to learn of the work being done to improve the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009. As we understand it, the Senate intends to keep the President's commitment that no federal funds will pay for abortions and in addition, provide significant new support for pregnant women.

While we have yet to see the manager's amendment or Senator Robert Casey's final abortion amendment language, we are encouraged by recent deliberations and the outline Senator Casey is developing. It is our understanding that the language now being written would prohibit federal funding of abortion, ensure provider conscience protection and fund programs to provide supportive care to some of the most vulnerable pregnant women in our society.

Especially now that a public health insurance option is no longer on the table, we are increasingly confident that Senator Casey's language can achieve the objective of no federal funding for abortion. We urge Congress to continue its work toward the goal of health reform that protects life at all stages while expanding coverage to the greatest possible number of people in our country. We look forward to reviewing the final language these improvements contemplate.

Well there was more than just a shred a difference between what the USCCB said about the Casey amendment and what the CHA said. That amendment was horrific and a travesty in every way. To support it without seeing the text is extreme naivety. Sen Casey has been more than just wishey-washey when it comes to abortion. There is no way anyone could just take his description of the amendment without seeing the actual text.

The senate bill that passed included the wording of the Casey amendment. So is this a case of the CHA being for it before they were against it? What has changed to make them now against the bill and with the USCCB? Well nothing. The bill is just as toxic as it was on the 17th of December.

So count me skeptical on the CHA's opposition since they have not even taken the time to write one statement in opposition to it. In fact all of their announcements have been generally supportive with only some "concerns."

'Not a shred of disagreement' between CHA, bishops on health reform

cross-posted from A Catholic View

Once again, the NY Times misrepresents Catholic issues.

Despite a New York Times report to the contrary, the Catholic Health Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are working together to achieve health reform legislation that does not expand federal funding of abortion, according to the CHA president and CEO.

Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity, told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview Dec. 28 that her organization has never wavered in its commitment to health care that protects "from conception to natural death," as outlined in the CHA document, "Our Vision for U.S. Health Care."

She disputed a report in The New York Times Dec. 26 that a recent CHA statement on Senate negotiations over abortion funding in health reform legislation represented a split with the bishops.


story here

Obama Spokesman: He Prefers Senate Health Care Bill With Abortion Funding

President Barack Obama promised Americans in a speech to Congress that his version of a government-run health care bill would not contain abortion funding. Now his top spokesman confirms that Obama favors the Senate bill that funds abortions over the House bill that bans abortion funding.

In a September nationally-televised speech to Congress, Obama sought to clear up projections from pro-life advocates that his health care plan would fund abortions.

"One more misunderstanding I want to clear up -- under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions," Obama claimed.

Since his speech, the House has approved a health care bill that contains the Stupak amendment making it so taxpayer funding of abortions is prohibited in virtually all cases. On the other hand, the Senate bill contains the Reid-Nelson language that opens the door to forcing taxpayers to fund abortions and allowing the Obama administration to force insurance companies to cover them with taxpayers' premiums.

story here

Author of Senate Obamacare bill Max Baucus Drunk on the Senate Floor

Senator Max Baucus, Democrat from Montana, drunk on the US Senate Floor debating National health Care:



H/T: Libertarian Republican

Merry Christmas!

We extend to all our readers a blessed and joyous Christmas. May you enjoy the gifts that the birth of the Infant Jesus brings to our hearts: peace, love, hope, and joy!

Crossing the Rubicon: Michael Voris

 Every civilization reaches a point of no return, a point where the nail is hammered into the coffin. That time is now for the USA.