The medical community is struggling with two new guidelines that have come out this week regarding women’s health.
The first guideline, by an obscure medical task force, is now recommending women age 50 and over should receive annual mammograms, not women 40 and over. And now, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is recommending most women in their 20s can get by with a Pap smear every two years instead of annually.
Many Americans are rightly concerned about what is behind these new “guidelines.” The groups are basing their new recommendations on studies showing no increase risk of cancer for these certain age groups.
Many women who fall into those age groups and have had cancer detected early would certainly disagree.
Of course, doctors and even members of the Obama administration are saying patients should continue doing what is comfortable for them and their doctors. But, the problem is, with a massive and complicated health care reform bill on the horizon, how will these new “guidelines” affect health insurance reimbursements?
If the government endorses certain guidelines in the future, will that lead to rationed care or treatment? That’s a very real and legitimate concern, and patients are right to be vocal about their disagreement with these new guidelines and concerned their health care will be minimized in the future.
Opinion
November 20, 2009
New guidelines on women’s health care raise concerns
- Opinion
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Monkey-bit overseas
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