The last post quoted Dr. Thomas Rodaman, Director of the Kansas University Cardiac Scanning Center. I think it is very approprop to highlight some statements he and another physician made in the article. The other doctor is David Marks of the cardiology department of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

First, Dr. Rodaman:

"We have a lot of patients who would benefit but decide against it because of the out-of-pocket costs," he said. "I think what insurers are afraid of is physicians will use it as a screening test inappropriately for everybody and they'll be flooded with claims."

Insurance companies and HMOs have done more to cause America's health care to deteriorate than any other entity in the health care delievery profession. People die in the United States every day because doctors try to keep the cost of care down as low as possible and also because many can't afford the high premiums it takes to be adequately insured.

Now Dr. Marks:

"How things are applied isn't always dictated by science," he said. "Medical opinion is like a big ship; once it is moving in one direction, it's hard to steer it in a different direction."

No truer words have been spoken, especially when it comes to angiograms and CABGs. The CABG has never beed approved by any governmental agency after a double-blind study, as is the normal process. Angiograms are not accurate. (See Dr. Wayne's website & books) Insist that you are allowed a second opinion from a noninvasive cardiologist if your doctor tries to scare you into an angiogram and/or CABG.