First it was a government panel saying that mammograms are not necessary before the age of 50 and every other year is sufficient. Advice to women not to do self examinations because it might lead to false positives goes against years of encouragement to check yourself. Now it’s Pap Smear every other year. Of course those opposed to health care reform will grab these two declarations as proof of health care rationing.
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test does result in many false positives. This could be another test a government agency will say is not reliable and so won’t be recommended at all or not so often.
Let’s be honest here. Every test that can be delayed another year means more money in the pockets of the insurance companies. Kaiser Permanente gives a Sigmoidoscopy every 5 year to its senior patients. A Colonoscopy (a very unpleasant procedure) every 10 years unless there is indications that closer monitoring is appropriate. Is this a form of rationing or is it sensible health care?
Annual physical exams seem to rarely detect an issue. Perhaps every other year is sufficient. After all the determination that I had a hernia was not made as the result of an annual exam. For that matter most health problems I have ever had were not determined at an annual physical.
We already have health care rationing but aren’t willing to admit it.
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