Uncovered: Democrats Seek to Use Stimulus to Kick Start Government-Run Health Care

Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement regarding the inclusion of 1.1 billion dollars for Comparative Effectiveness Research in the Democrats’ misnamed “stimulus” package. The provision provides the cornerstone for a national government-run health care system.

“Congressional Democrats are seeking to use an economic crisis to advance their goal of a massive federal health care bureaucracy,” said Chairman Price. “There should be no confusion: Comparative Effectiveness Research funding is the first step to creating a national bureaucratic health care system. Producing a uniform standard for national health care means health care decisions will be made by the government, not doctors and patients. We must fight for patient-centered care and ensure that those most affected by health care decisions continue to be allowed to make them.”

Next week the House of Representatives will consider the Democrat so-called “stimulus” bill that will, among other provisions, establish a Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER). This new health board will establish a permanent government rationing organization prescribing care in place of doctors and patients. The draft report language accompanying the appropriations health portion of the bill clearly lays out the Democrats’ plan for their new CER board:

“By knowing what works best and presenting this information more broadly to patients and healthcare professionals, those items, procedures, and interventions that are most effective to prevent, control, and treat health conditions will be utilized, while those that are found to be less effective and in some cases, more expensive, will no longer be prescribed.”

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