Has healthcare rationing already begun in America?

  One of the concerns that has been mentioned during the debate on government run healthcare is the debate over whether there will be healthcare rationing. President Obama and other proponents of the healthcare reform bill have denied that ANY rationing would take place under the plan. They have tried to marginalize the people who claim that nationalized healthcare will lead to the rationing of medicine.

  In light of the shortage of the Swine flu vaccine I have to wonder if the United States is already in the process of rationing healthcare. Certain groups have been told that they are high risk and that they should get the vaccination immediately but they cannot get it because of the shortage. We have recently learned that doses of the vaccination will be sent overseas before all Americans who want the vaccination receive it. Coupled with the distressing news that GITMO detainees are going to be among the first to be vaccinated we can see that the rationing of healthcare has already begun in America and the healthcare reform bill hasn’t even passed yet. The government is picking and choosing where the vaccination will be sent.

  This point was driven home to me last Sunday while I was at a flea market. While browsing at one of the tables I overheard a conversation between an older man and a vendor. This gentleman stated that he had gone to his doctor to get the Swine flu shot but his doctor refused to give it to him because he was over 65. He was not eligible to receive the vaccination. This man appeared to be in perfect health and very mobile and active. He continued to tell the vendor that he had never heard of such a thing, being denied treatment that he wanted. He was incredulous. I am afraid that this example will be all to common after the public option is in place.

  Much was made, and is still being made, of Sarah Palin’s use of the term “death panels” to describe the end of life counseling that is still in the final version of the healthcare bill in the House. Sarah Palin was using an exaggeration to highlight a legitimate concern. Under Obama’s healthcare plan people such as this gentleman from the flea market will be denied, and evidentially are already being denied, the treatment that they need. One has to wonder if this man had gone to his doctor after the passage of healthcare reform and was denied the Swine flu shot if he would have been advised to enter “end of life” counseling.

  This scenario will not be the exception after the healthcare reform bill is passed, it will be the norm. President Obama officially declared a national emergency over the impending Swine flu pandemic and the government has criminally botched the reaction to this emergency. Swine flu vaccine shortages have led to the rationing of the vaccine.

  If the Swine flu pandemic is any indication of how the government is going to run healthcare in general we are all in trouble. The rationing has started even before the government has control over the healthcare industry.