HOW MUCH IS A WOMEN'S LIFE WORTH TO OBAMA'S U.S. PREVENTIVE TASK FORCE ON MAMMMOGRAMS ? EVIDENTLY NOT MUCH.

Clearly one of the most disturbing things that I have ever heard from a governmental task force from any administration, is when this administration's Health Task Force, called The United States Preventive Services Task Force which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services came out with a directive, gleaned from some extremely conservative elements of the medical community, with their recommendation for women to quit examining their breasts each month. American women reacted to this directive as if it were insanity, which it was. The real insanity however, rested with the fools who released it.

Think about this directive. It costs nothing to the woman to perform this self exam each month, and it does not expose her to any radiation, so there is absolutely no down side to that woman. The only down side might come from a cost to the Obama's new Health Care Initiative, if that woman finds a lump in her breast and then goes to her primary doctor. He is then likely to recommend a consultation with a specialist, an oncologist; a mammogram; other expensive tests such as a CAT- Scan or MRI; and, perhaps a biopsy. Her life might be saved, if it is cancer, and if it is benign or nothing at all- then the woman is joyful.

But evidently there would not be joy in the Obama administration, because if nothing was found than there would be that unnecessary cost for the government to bear. So just how much is the life of a woman worth ? To this governmental task force under the Obama Administration evidently nothing.

This Task Force also recommends that women between the ages of 40 to 49, [ in addition to not performing breast examinations each month, which logically is clearly is a rationing ploy, ] should not get a mammogram until they are 50, and then only every 2 years. Women who are at an extremely high risk and with an extensive family history of breast cancer can get a mammogram in their forties, this group being an exception.

Why is this directive important to women ? Mammograms are expensive, millions of Americans cannot afford them even with a co-pay, unless they are payed for in full. And should this directive of this Health Care Initiative stand, then insurance companies won't pay for mammograms at all when women are in their forties. So women will not have a choice.

What logic is behind the decision of the U.S.Preventive Services Task Force, comprised of an independent group of primary doctors ? But first of all, why should we be even listening to primary doctors, when we should be listening to specialists on this matter ? As evidence to support their argument, this group of primary doctors have said, that sometimes mammograms give false positives or false alarms. They claim that having a mammogram which might suggest cancer is present, causes women to experience worry and anxiety, take time off at work, and that they might incur additional costs with extra screening, extra tests, resulting in over diagnosis, as well as, forcing women to have in unneeded biopsies.

To any one who hears this litany of lame excuses, they soon realize that the government's bottom line is this: that the monthly examination of her breasts or having that mammogram is seen as pushing up governmental costs. Boil down their argument, and it is simply that the Obama administration and government don't like " the cost to benefit ratio." And the cost is that which the governmental Health Care Program will have to bear. They believe that reducing the number of women who die from breast cancer by 15%, is really not worth the cost to the government, for the benefit of that particular percentage.

It is notable that several organizations are directly opposed to this clearly cost control health directive, out of the bowels of Health and Human Services Department, those same competent people who promised us all that swine flu vaccine would be available in October, while right now there is very little. It is notable that 35 kids die each week, while doctors say that this number of 35 is really only 1/4 of the actual number who eventually die, and this discrepancy is because of faulty reporting.

It is instructive to realize that several Specialist organizations are diametrically opposed to this directive. These organizations include The Medical Association of Oncologists, which are cancer specialists; The Medical Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and The National Cancer Association.

The argument of these associations which are listed in the previous paragraph is this: There is no debate that mammograms reduce the death rate of women by 15% or 15 out of 100 women. Remember, could one of those 15 women be your mother, daughter, sister, or wife ? Well, that fact just doesn't matter to this Obama Task Force. They claim that they must screen 1,900 women to save just one life, if the woman is in her forties. If you are in your fifties, they claim that they can save 1 life for every 1,340 women. That difference of screening an extra 560 makes all the difference to the Obama Task Force. You, the patient, are simply not worth the cost of having to screen those extra 560 women. Plus, The National Cancer Association has stated that they doubt these calculations of the Obama Task Force.

The National Cancer Association said it best, '' According to the United States Preventative Services Task Force mammograms for 40 year -olds saves lives- just not enough of them." Follow up their brave stand by complaining about this travesty to your Senators and Representatives. Tell them that this is rationing and directly connected to Obama's Health Care Bill. Don't let them tell you, that you are not worthy of this test if you are a woman, whatever your age. Send them a message that you are worth it, by having that mammogram in your forties and have it once a year, if not for yourself - then do it for your daughters.