Yoda.... I have answered the question about the section on death panels...you can read it below. This is completely another issue. As the speaker used the President middle name I can already tell his political bent. But I will answer in spite of that.

To let you know these types of things already exist in the current health insurance. For example, last Dec I began taking Protonics a very good ulcer drug. But in Jan I went to get a refill and was denied because the coverage had changed. My insurer wanted me to take a cheaper drug that didn't work and made me sick...so after dealing with that I thought they would switch me back...alas no. I had to try a different drug which was not very effective. It was not until late May until I was finally able to get the drugs that worked.

Now for my personal beliefs on these things.... As a Catholic I was taught that quality of a persons life matters deeply. Therefore doing procedures just to extend life may not be the best thing. I watched as my family had both a medical person and a member of the clergy present to help decide what should be done. (We had plenty of both in the family) As my mother's condition got worse it fell to me to make these decisions. The doctors wanted to put her on life support but I knew if she was put on life support she may never get off. I checked with a doctor in the family and we did not put her on the vent. She survived without it but died several months later....We never put her back in the hospital.

Sometimes these effectiveness panels rule out treatments that don't really work, sometimes they reign in doctors.

I am sorry that all of this is scary to you....