If you still doubt Death Panels, then consider this:
"32% of elderly American patients undergo surgery in the year before they die ... Dr. Amy Kelley ... labeled the 32% figure a "call to action" - to reduce costly surgeries, intensive-care stays and other high-intensity care for the elderly."
Notice a missing word in the very first sentence?
Let's correct the omission, and see how the story works:
"32% of elderly American patients who undergo surgery in the year before they die ... Dr. Amy Kelley ... labeled the 32% figure a "call to action" - to reduce costly surgeries, intensive-care stays and other high-intensity care for the elderly."
In the original, that missing word explicitly led the reader to believe that almost a third of seniors undergo expensive surgery, from which they perish. But that's not at all what the Medicare data -- on which the Lancet based its conclusions -- actually said.
In fact, most seniors who undergo surgery do just fine. Of course, the nature of the surgery matters: a hip replacement is different from cataracts is different from heart-valve surgery:
"[A]ge does not appear to limit the health related quality of life benefits" of surgery. Even patients over 75 had symptom relief and improvements in quality of life "on a par with improvements seen in younger patients."
The bottom line is that those who would seek to emulate the MVNHS© are forced to obfuscate the truth to advance their cause.
Color me unsurprised.
[Hat Tip: FoIB Bob D]
"32% of elderly American patients undergo surgery in the year before they die ... Dr. Amy Kelley ... labeled the 32% figure a "call to action" - to reduce costly surgeries, intensive-care stays and other high-intensity care for the elderly."
Notice a missing word in the very first sentence?
Let's correct the omission, and see how the story works:
"32% of elderly American patients who undergo surgery in the year before they die ... Dr. Amy Kelley ... labeled the 32% figure a "call to action" - to reduce costly surgeries, intensive-care stays and other high-intensity care for the elderly."
In the original, that missing word explicitly led the reader to believe that almost a third of seniors undergo expensive surgery, from which they perish. But that's not at all what the Medicare data -- on which the Lancet based its conclusions -- actually said.
In fact, most seniors who undergo surgery do just fine. Of course, the nature of the surgery matters: a hip replacement is different from cataracts is different from heart-valve surgery:
"[A]ge does not appear to limit the health related quality of life benefits" of surgery. Even patients over 75 had symptom relief and improvements in quality of life "on a par with improvements seen in younger patients."
The bottom line is that those who would seek to emulate the MVNHS© are forced to obfuscate the truth to advance their cause.
Color me unsurprised.
[Hat Tip: FoIB Bob D]
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