Editor's Note: The recent ruckus surrounding the so-called death panels is much ado about nothing because the elderly make end-of-life decisions based on what they can or can't afford. Picture it. Los Angeles. 2009. Youre talking to your 87-year-old Full Story »
Posted by Alan Liss - via New America Media
If you are basing your argument that your granny can't afford $100 co-pay to use a multi-million dollar MRI is astounding to me in its naivete. From ehow.com: MRI equipment varies in cost, depending on the strength of the scanner. Scanners with more strength produce more detailed images; therefore, these scanners cost more. MRI machines can range in cost between $1 and $3 million. Construction of MRI suites can easily add another $500,000 to the total cost. An extremity MRI machine alone costs $300,000 or more, and can only be used to scan hands, feet and knees. Purchasing a used-extremity MRI scanner can cost as much as $150,000.
Dear Jasmyne - Thank you for using my phrase - "Obama lies, Granny dies" in your article. I actually changed it to the past tense - "obama lied, Granny died"...It does my heart proud to know that I have upset the left. Although it was a very heartfelt story about your grandmother - she is alive because she is fortunate enough to live in a country that has produced and developed MRIs and life saving drugs and the best hospitals and doctors in the world. This life saving health care system (the part that works - not Medicare and Medicaid which is unfunded and running out of money) did not come from a mandate from the government. These innovations came from evil self serving capitalists making a profit from Drugs and Medical devices etc. Those are the evil persons responsible in large part for saving your grandmother - and by the way - they saved my life - with life saving drugs and medical procedures. The fact that she has access to a mult-million $ machine and the only cost is $100 - and you complain about it - amazing! Your supply of nail polish probably costs more than that! I suspect this will go in one ear and out the other - or should I say eye ball..anyway, you get what I mean. I have a daughter your age and she doesn't listen to me either - but I would be happy to have a civil discussion with you about the issues and not just the hype and lies surrounding socialist health care systems. These systems force rationing, and Granny will die in this system - as well as others who have catastrophic illnesses who do not fit the accepted profile to qualify for an expensive procedure. As a side not after going to your web site: Whether you realize it or not, welfare for a functioning healthy person is slavery. And the best thing you could do for yourself and the Black community is to emulate someone like Bill Cosby who encourages Blacks to be self reliant, for Black men to stop deserting their families- leaving Black women to raise children alone. The government is not a solution - it is the problem.