The Senate is once again proving its ability to not leave bad enough alone. A variety of changes are being added or considered that clearly show there is no insight into what is wrong with health care delivery.

Some thoughts...

The "Breast Cancer" Amendment

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) put forth an amendment that will require government insurers to cover women's preventative care and screenings without co-pays.

This is a mandate. It is populist politics at its worst after the recent uproar over the USPSTF recommendations on breast cancer and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines on cervical cancer.

Why not mandate colorectal cancer screening without co-pays? Colon cancer causes more deaths annually then breast cancer. Cervical cancer is not even on the mortality radar screen compared to other cancers.

Lack of a co-pay is the other big problem here. we should be striving for plans that allow people to add the coverage they want so they have a tangible feeling of how much things cost. The cost of this little gen by the way is $940M.

I Can't Drive 55

The new back door to having the government take over health care. If this idea is added to the Senate plan it would allow people who are uninsured to sign up for Medicare at age 55.

Never mind that the Medicare hospital fund is heading for bankruptcy. Never mind that the other parts of Medicare will require decreases in benefits or higher taxes to remain solvent moving forward. Never mind that is the Sustainable Growth Formula will cut physician reimbursement over 20% if it ever kicks in and destroy all access.

This is DC and the idea of running ships into ice bergs brings smiles to politician's faces. It is especially joyous if the process can be expedited.

Patients may decide to retire at age 55 or employers may force the issue under this plan. Alaskans already have seen where Medicare is going nationwide with access issues. Making the problem worse should not be an option.

Cutting In Expansion?

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) tried to force the bill back to committee to eliminate the $460B in Medicare cuts in payments to providers. The Democrats has only 2 defectors in the 58-42 vote.

Those two defectors did not include Senator Mark Begich. Alaska seniors should remember if this bill passes and their access deteriorates further.

It is not clear how a system that is going bankrupt will deal with this loss. It must have something to do with the mysterious "efficiencies" Obama and Begich keep talking about. No need for details, after all, this is change you can believe in. Right?

The Democrats keep complaining that the right is using scare tactics. The truth is this bill adds billions in taxes, cuts money that is supposed to be used to take care of seniors, and is getting parsed finely but dozens of special interest groups.

The tone from the left is hardly civil either with Senator Harry Reid comparing opponents of this monstrosity to opponents of slavery. This is along the same fallacy the Democrats have been using all along that opposition to Obama is racism.

And I suppose Rep Alan Grayson (D-FL) and his comments are responsible? And the Democrats are accusing the Republicans of scare tactics?

People like Reid and Grayson make The Palin look reasonable.

This bill is at minimum a takeover by regulation. It does not do anything to improve the free market environment that health care desperately needs.

The citizens of this country better pay attention. If this bill passes it will have very little chance of ever being modified to a great degree. It will become ingrained like Medicare and Social Security. Entitlements tend to grow and never contract.

Alaska, in particular, better watch closely.

Just this week I heard a rumor that a half a dozen local primary care doctors who will opt out of Medicare starting January 1, 2010. They are concerned that if this bill passes the way it is written it will obligate them to participate in other programs.

Sub specialists are planning their exit from Alaska if this passes as well. The higher cost of doing business with lower reimbursement is not a great economic incentive.

I was once a great pizza delivery guy. Maybe I could buy a pizza joint on the beach. All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine.