Evidence based medicine and prevention are two buzz phrases in health care policy that mean more government and insurance bureaucratic control over individuals and their doctors.
Proponents of both efforts say we can rely on experts to determine which tests are effective, but what if the experts change their minds or if the experts disagree?
PSA exams for prostate cancer were declared a best practice five years ago, but new guidelines say the cost of these tests outweigh the benefits for men over 75 and possibly for younger men, too. Were doctors who recommended against the test better informed? Will doctors who recommend the test now be penalized by Medicare or private insurers?
Seems like another argument for letting the patient decide.
