because "If everyone can get it, the demand will be too much."
In 2011, the FDA approved a medical device to repair the heart using a
catheter in the leg artery called the Sapien 3. The cost of the new
valve is the same as cracking the chest, but has lower risks and is an
easier procedure to perform. Medicare fears that more elderly patients
will want their hearts repaired with this new technology, so strict
coverage rules have been set in place.
For a patient to qualify for the new procedure, Medicare requires two
cardiac surgeons to certify the patient cannot handle open-heart
repair. A cardiothoracic surgeon and interventional cardiologist must
also be present in the operating room during the procedure. This is very
costly and limits procedures to large academic medical centers. The FDA
has labeled the valves to require these restrictions.
Because better you have a more risky, more invasive procedure with more after-effects than get this one. Because idiots are in charge.
No, better that those old drains die from complications rather than survive and pull more medi-care money from the system. After all that money could have paid several end-of-year bonuses...
ReplyDeleteAnd isn't this rationing by regulation?
ReplyDeleteRationing the Leftists said could never happen, and
Regulation, the burden of which Leftists who wouldn't get in a position to have to make payroll on a dare uniformly refuse to see the burden of?
That's exactly what it boils down to. They'll never admit it, and neither will the Obama fanboys.
ReplyDelete