Our doctor, the government - NYPOST.com

Our doctor, the government - NYPOST.com: "Forget the public option, abortion and all the other divisive questions in the health-care debate: The most important issue for patients and their doctors is the transfer of decision-making power from bedside to the federal government.

The bill that Sen. Harry Reid aims to pass in the Senate would mandate that every American enroll in a 'qualified' insurance plan. And page 149 states that 'qualified' health plans can do business only with a doctor who 'implements such mechanisms to improve health-care quality as the secretary [of Health and Human Services] may by regulation require.'"

But "mechanisms to improve health-care quality" covers everything in medicine.

Never before has the federal government intruded into medical decisions made by doctors for privately insured patients, except on such narrow issues as drug safety. Now, in the name of quality, the secretary of Health and Human Services would be empowered to regulate your MD's decisions on everything from cardiac and cancer care to childbirth.

The delegation of power is so broad, it's conceivable that Washington will be telling your cardiologist when it's appropriate to use stents or imaging tests -- and directing your gynecologist about the use of pelvic sonograms.

What makes this especially troubling is that government will be imposing its regulations with an eye on reducing the cost of your care, even if you're paying for it yourself: The explicit purpose of "reform" is to reduce what everyone consumes and to discourage some from getting more care than others.

That's one reason the Senate bill puts a 40 percent tax on "Cadillac" plans -- a category that will cover the top 20 percent of plans, according to the Congressional Budget Office.