
Could Mammograms, Pap Smears Kill Reform?
Lawmakers pushing for health care reform are facing charges that a government-funded panel's recommendations to limit breast cancer screenings could be a sign of things to come if proposed health care legislation is passed. The new mammography guidelines, released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Monday, suggest fewer mammograms for those 50 and older and no routine mammograms at all for those younger than 50. For those opposed to the health care bill going before the Senate this Saturday, the guidelines have become a rallying cry against comparative effectiveness -- which, simply put, means the comparison of different medical approaches to determine which one delivers the best balance of benefits with the fewest possible...