Oregon's Health Care Rationing Plan

Oregon is the first state to draw up a formal procedure for health care rationing, so it has something to teach.

Oregon's Health Plan does not cover everyone in the state as Obama's Gov't Care Plan eventually aims to do. The Oregon Health Plan covers only low-income people, and a panel ranks diseases and conditions in order of priority for treatment. Some health problems get treated, others don't. From the National Center for Policy Analysis:

The health care dollars available determine which priorities are met. As program costs have grown, the list of covered procedures has become shorter.

If you have a deformity of your upper body, arms, or legs, no treatment for you! Ditto if your vocal cords are paralyzed. Live with it! Advanced breast cancer? Go home and, you know. . . .

If you are a pathological gambler, a drug user, or want to stop smoking , you can get treatment! Want to be sterilized or get an abortion? Step right up.

Every time Oregon's priority list for health care treatment is revised, life-saving treatments for severe head injuries, Type I diabetes, peritonitis, injuries to internal organs, appendicitis, ruptured spleens, tuberculosis, and deep open wounds are re-prioritized down the priority list. Seven years ago, in 2002, treating a severe head injury had top (#1) priority; this year it ranks #101. Meanwhile, sterilization has moved from 94th place to 7th place.

Yes, indeed. Oregon now thinks it is far more important for a low-income person to be sterilized than to have a doctor take care of that person's life-threatening head injury.

Therapy for lactose intolerance, #13 from the top of the list. Surgery for a ruptured appendix, #84 on the list.

Counseling for obesity, #8; gangrene, #176.

You get the picture.

What is driving the move away from procedures to save lives from immediate danger? Oregon's prioritized list is drifting toward increasing expenditures for politically popular care. This means preventive care for the healthy and treatment of diseases with active political constituencies. This drift in rationing appears to be unavoidable when political processes are given control over medical decision making.

Hence, treatment for drug abuse, #5 on the list; something terribly wrong with your testicles or ovaries, #261 (no free Ad Council radio spots on that one).

Here's a quick look at the health care future of America, thanks to Oregon do-gooders who figured they'd do good with someone else's money:

Hat tip: There's My Two Cents and Hot Air.
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Ichthyological curiosity of the day:

The Oregon Chub (Oregonichthys crameri)



A mild-mannered minnow native to Oregon's ponds, unfortunately an endangered species.