The recent NY Times article on how Arizona is cutting financing for transplants patients on Medicaid, effective in October, is worth a read, even during this crazy finals week. While reading the article, I had many mixed emotions, from anger over the patients being turned away to seeing the financial constraints Arizona is facing and trying to come to terms with how to deal with providing health care in the face of economic constraints. This article provides many important takeaways to consider that reflect the horrible shape our health care system is in. The increasingly high expenditures is leading to rationing of care, leading to a real "death panel." Should Medicaid patients be turned away from having lifesaving transplant operations if they cannot afford to pay for it? Perhaps Arizona could reduce their health care costs by eliminating waste in their Medicaid operations/payments in order to keep transplant services. The article also brings up the question of how much we value an individual life, and how much extra time as a result of a treatment is worth what cost. Any thoughts on how AZ should proceed?
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