Women Will Be the First Victims of Obamacare

Saturday, the Senate once again ignored the voice of the majority of Americans by voting to continue debate on BHO's push for socialized medicine. While the debate rages on, we are hearing "recommendations" from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) that changes the guidelines for mammography from annually after age 40 to bi-annually after age 50.

Early detection for cancer of any form is the key to survival, especially breast cancer. Common sense dictates that the earlier it's caught, the more likely a woman is to survive. And breast cancer doesn't discriminate based on age. While rare in women in their 20's, it isn't unheard of. Family history plays a crucial role in determining the risk women face of having to battle breast cancer.

Dr. Bernadine Healy (photo), the first woman to head of the National Institute of Health (NIH) came out strongly against the recommendations though she no longer chairs the NIH.

"I'm saying very powerfully ignore them," Dr. Healy told Chris Wallace in an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

"This will increase the number of women dying of breast cancer. Women in their 40s have a very aggressive kind of breast cancer. They tend to progress fast. And to not screen women in that age group is astounding to me, and it goes against the bulk of individuals who are actually caring for patients. You may save some money, Chris, but you're not going to save lives," she said.

Dr. Healy said that the other "recommendations" concerning annual pap smears for women aren't of as much importance due to the fact that cervical cancer is often slow-growing and that the HPV virus, which causes cervical cancer, often goes away on its own. Recently, the recommendations for annual pap smears were modified to start doing them at age 21 instead of the former guideline of when a girl became sexually active.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has warned that the upcoming legislation to impose socialized medicine on the American people contains a provision that gives the USPSTF rationing power under the public option.

"In section 3131 of that bill, it changes the Preventive Services Task Force to the Clinical Preventive Services Task Force. Then, you go back and you see that that task force on preventive clinical services is tasked with rating A, B, C, D, or I all preventive services. ... And that indicates what would be paid or covered. And this is where the actual link comes, and I'll read it for you. In section 2301, it says, 'All recommendations of the Preventive Services Task Force' -- that's the group that did the mammograms -- 'and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services, as in existence on the day before the date of the enactment of this act, shall be considered to be recommendations of the Task Force on Clinical Preventive Services.'"

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), a breast cancer survivor, disagreed in an interview on "This Week with George Stephanopolus." She claims that the idea of changing screening guidelines is being blown out of proportion. If anyone should know the importance of early detection, it should be her. But I guess the whole 'D' thing after her name has clouded her judgment.

"We have to make sure that we're not forgetting about the people. And that's what the task force forgot about this week, is that we're not thinking about big, amorphous blobs of -- of people. Making -- these recommendations say that we can trade one life to save the angst and anxiety in a -- a larger group of women, and that's totally inappropriate, but that's also why major experts, medical experts, the cancer society, the colon foundation all came out against this, and that won't be controlling in the final legislation."

If anyone has forgotten about people, Ms. Schultz, it is you and your fellow lefties in Congress. Time and again you have ignored the will of the majority of Americans who do NOT want the government involved in their health issues. But yet you feel that you know what's best, eh? You represent the problem with government interference.

I tend to side with Dr. Healy due to the fact that it makes perfect sense to have screenings as early as possible to detect cancer in its infant form. THAT will save lives. What Obamacare will do is take them.

Hey government wonks!!! Keep your hands off my casabas!!!

Note: For another great post on Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her agenda, check out The Right Guy.