GOP Rep. on Mammograms: "This Is How Rationing Begins"

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Recently released breast cancer screening recommendations represent a "step backward" for women's health care and the "slippery slope" health care could take under Democrats' proposed policies, a group of Republican congresswomen said today.

Meanwhile, in response to the concern surrounding the new recommendations, the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress insisted the recommendations will not be used to set policy and criticized Republicans for their "political gamesmanship" on the issue.

"This is how rationing begins. This is the little toe in the edge of the water," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "This is when you start getting a bureaucrat between you and your physician. This is what we have warned about."

(The above photograph shows, from left to right, Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) and Blackburn.)

At issue are the new recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which concluded that it is not worth it for women to perform breast self-exams or to get routine mammograms before reaching the age of 50. The task force is an independent group of 16 experts put together by the Department of Health and Human Services.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement earlier today that said the task force is only putting forward new information and does not set policy or determine what services the government covers. She also said she would be very surprised if any private insurance companies changed their mammography policies because of the recommendations.

Still, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) said today that she feared health insurance companies would change their policies. Furthermore, she said, she feared that such studies would be used to set policy in the national health insurance exchange that would be set up and run by HHS if Democrats are able to pass their health care bill.

"The rules of what will be required to go into the exchange have yet to be written," Schmidt pointed out. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated about 30 million Americans could receive their coverage through the exchange.

Schmidt called the task force recommendations an "unfair study that doesn't tell the truth about early detection."

Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) called the recommendations "a huge step backward" that puts the nation on a "slippery slope" to discouraging screening for other diseases based on cost rather than medical need. The Democratic health care plan would particularly encourage this, the lawmakers said.

"Women in particular may lose a great deal of clout in decision making," said Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). "We don't know how far government will go in this bureaucracy."

Republicans, Bachmann said, "want to empower women... We want to have all the data on the table so individuals can make the best decision they can."

To rebut the Republican criticisms, Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) released a statement saying that the task force recommendations do just that -- give women more information with which to make decisions.

"If we can cut through the Republicans' political gamesmanship on this issue, the new breast cancer recommendations, as always, were an attempt to put the best possible evidence in the hands of women and their doctors, so they can assess their own risk and benefit," DeLauro said.

She listed ways in which the Democrats' health care bill would help women, such as barring the denial of coverage due to a pre-existing conditions like breast cancer. The Republican health care bill, she pointed out, does not accomplish that.

"The Republican health care plan does nothing to stop premium discrimination against women, does nothing to end denials based on pre-existing conditions, does nothing to make breast cancer care more affordable, and in fact does not even change the percentage of uninsured Americans," she said.

Come back to CBSNews.com at 7 p.m. ET tonight for a live discussion on the mammogram recommendations with CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and Dr. Freya Schnabel, Director of Breast Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center and Professor of Surgery NYU School of Medicine.

More Coverage:
Sebelius: Mammogram Recommendations Won't Set Policy
New Advice: Skip Mammograms in Your 40s
New Mammogram Advice Sparks Concerns
Mammogram Guideline Controversy
Experts Debate New Mammogram Guidelines

[dsgirl001]

If the liberal posters on here had seen this same thing come out of a GOP Whitehouse, they'd swear it off as proof of being anti-female. But when it comes from a Dem Whitehouse, it becomes the latest gift of wisdom from god and they will defend it to the death, even though they never thought of it before.

Funny thing is that the administration has doubled back and have essentially said... "nevermind... nothing has changed". So now liberals that automatically swallowed it and defended it, ironically find themselves in the position of still holding to this nuveau "medical" opinion or conversely following the administration around like little sheople and once again changing to match the opinion du jour of the dear leader.

[endurorob_5]

To think the insurance companies will not take this as a guildine is very foolish. And to think that, if the public option passes, government beuracrats won't take this as a reaason to deny mamogram coverage for women under 50 is exceedingly foolish.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

GOP Rep. on Mammograms: "This Is How Rationing Begins"

Sounds like another PANIC AND FEAR STATEMENT BY THE GOP JUST TO GET EVERYBODY IN A HUGE TIZZY FIT

JUST LIKE DEATH PANELS.

"This Is How Rationing Begins" I dont think that FEMALES WANT COUNTLESS Mammograms a year or X-rays on the twins.

I dont see Females in line for extra unwanted Xray Mamograms and in a hurry to get more Mamograms just to get them. I sure dont go into the doctor on a monthly basis just to get another Colonoscopy.

More FEAR TACTICS BY THE GOP.

[endurorob_5]

Your comment does not make any sense. What ae you trying to say?

[gramto8]

by endurorob_5 November 19, 2009 9:28 AM EST
Your comment does not make any sense. What ae you trying to say?
____________________________________________________
Having trouble comprehending? His comment makes plenty of sense. Your comment is lacking as you have no idea what is going on here.

[ladyang]

Does anyone honestly think these gop women care about women's health care?
They don't think a woman can make her own decisions about her own reproductive system.
Talk about having the gov't in your personal life - no thank you!!!

[Ordflyer]

News Flash: INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN RATIONING FOR 25 ++ YEARS...

It's called the "pre-existing condition".

GET REAL GOP NUT BALLS!!!

[MaleNurse2010]

You are so right, they just get kickbacks from Big Mammography and cancer treatment centers. That college education has made you into a perfect vacuous nothing that is absorbing our leader's propaganda like a sponge. Keep up the great work, abortions on demand and no breast cancer treatments for women under fifty. You can't treat something unless you know it exists.

[nowhiningallowed]

This is exactly how rationing health care begins. So where are all of the talking heads of the women's groups in all of this? Where are all of the advocates for the poor on this? Perhaps they're afraid of saying anything negative against this administration?

[lfitts2]

These woman are idiots..pure and simple these are SCIENTIFIC recommendations..not political ones. In theory medical and scientific decisions should be based on logical and scientific facts..not scare tactics..yes we can always find someone who found something, but does that mean everyone should have a complete body MRI every year..how about the complications caused by unnecessary biopsies and procedures...screening is NOT without risk. These stupid woman are fear mongerers.

[earlysaid]

Mammograms are not the best way to detect cancer. There are new methods coming that will use a thermagram to find cancer without causing any pain. This process finds areas that are hot and considers them suspicious. Further testing can then follow.

[jeannettelj]

This year I decided that I would forego my annual check up. I have had a mammogram and pap every year for over 40 years and never a problem. I decided that every two years will be fine for me. I decided all this before the new recommendations came out. I am 68 and feel that all these yearly exams are just more ways for doctors to make more money and for insurance companies to refuse to pay. Every one needs to decide what is right for them and not go by this recommendation or that recommendation. As for me, I've made up my mind.

[alanrobisch]

Fine but that was your personal decision not one enforced by laws set by the govt. It's strange that pro choice people are terrified of insurance not paying for abortions and feel the individual should have their choices by themselves yet see nothing wrong with the govt deciding when and what treatment they should get.

[RandomUser1886]

Next a Government Task Force will tell men that they don't need to start getting prostate exams until age 70.
Then it will be that we only need a physical once every 10 years.

See? ObamaCare is saving us money already with his Government Experts!!!

[kansas1946]

This argument has been going on for years. No one needs a yearly physical except someone who has lots of health problems, no one needs and annual mammogram except a woman with significan risk factors, and many, many, men have had unnessesary prostate operations because of overzealous treatment of elevated PSAs. Folks used to go to the doctor because they were sick, now they go for reassurance and to complain about everything and then get overmedicated.
Of course, at this time, sick people are not able to get medical help because of greed, pure and simple. Politcal greed, corporate greed, and litigious greedy Americans.

[kansas1946]

"This is how rationing begins. This is the little toe in the edge of the water," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "This is when you start getting a bureaucrat between you and your physician. This is what we have warned about."
****************************************************

This is absolutely the dumbest thing I have ever heard, but considering the average IQ of Republicans, I am not surprised. There is absolutely no reason to get a mammogram every year. The downsided to this pratice have been talked about for years. The Republicans are bound an determined to keep the status quo on health care with millions of Americans suffering and big drug companies, medical conglomerates, and insurance companies, fat and happy and sending in their campaign contributions.
Republians have NO morals, ethics, or as we can see, brains.

[alanrobisch]

yup the dems can do no wrong and BTW virtually none of the congress are experts and there has been an outcry locally by doctors objecting to it.

[MaleNurse2010]

Democrat Tool! Morals and ethics are relative under your chosen peoples standards, are they not? Why is there no reason to get a mammogram every year? Because your great leader told you?

[FauxNews]

Gee, a politician who majored in Retail Marketing is suddenly a medical expert. I guess she's the ranking Republican expert on breast cancer by virtue of anatomy.

[RandomUser1886]

Faux:
But yet you'll listen to Algore about Global Warming.

[FauxNews]

Random:

I've never listened to a politician about a science issue. I bet you never have either.

[afmcalax]

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is a moron. Her statement that this is putting a bureaucrat between the doctor and the patient is so blatently a lie I wonder just how low in the gutter the Republicans will go to protect their masters in the health care field. This report was done BY DOCTORS FOR DOCTORS .. there was no government bureaucrat involved. It is the standard for the rest of the world and most of them have more effective health care that is much more cost effective. Her comments are so stupid she should have been called out by responsible journalists as she muttered these lies.

[RandomUser1886]

It was a GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE.
Follow the money.

[velma179]

by RandomUser1886 November 18, 2009 7:21 PM EST
It was a GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE.
Follow the money.

********

It is "an independent group of 16 experts.." -- just because they received funding from HHS doesn't mean they REPRESENT the viewpoint of the department (Sebelius made it clear they don't).

If you get money from the office "kitty" to go buy paper... when YOU bring back a brand a co-worker doesn't like... is the office manager responsible?

Really. Just TRY to think in real world terms once in a while -- instead of political "us against them" finger pointing... please.