Health Care Rationing Proposed in Wisconsin

Rationing health care is no longer a dirty word and is openly discussed. The Wisconsin Medical Society (WMS) is proposing a system to ration care for Medicaid patients ala Oregon. “Oregon ranks services and refuses to cover a fourth of them because of budget constraints,” states David Wahlberg in a Wisconsin State Journal article.

Make no mistake — the problem is real. Wisconsin faces a $1.2 billion shortage in Medicaid funds. Adding to the crunch are the requirements of the federal stimulus bill and Obamacare which penalize states financially if they reduce eligibility. The stated goal of the WMS in proposing an Oregon-type regime is to reduce costs without removing people from the Medicaid roles and/or reducing payments to doctors. WMS sees this as a way to equalize care. Spokesperson Dr. Tim Bartholow says: “We want as many people as possible to have access to some care, rather than let some have terrific access and other people have none.”

WMS presented its proposal to Governor Walker for consideration. According to the news article, Walker and other governors have already asked the White House for permission to cut Medicaid rolls.

If rationed care is approved for Medicaid patients, could Medicare be far behind? Do we really want either insurance companies or government boards to decide what treatment patients should receive? There is no question that our health care system, as great as it is, needs reform. Not the Obamacare kind, but reform that doesn’t ration care and gives patients more control over treatment options.

Read the Wisconsin State Journal article here.

Barbara Lyons