Bloomberg wanted the old and sick to die to save money.

[LaurenOlimina]

Last edited Wed Feb 26, 2020, 04:54 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bloomberg-elderly-cancer/?fbclid=IwAR3lg01G-xQmCk450LIV2AtNkQ60X35_hjujVf4t2lIyE1EHT7fLYSPKJxo

"Billionaire and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg said in a 2011 video that elderly cancer patients should be denied treatment in order to cut health care costs. “All of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us,” said Bloomberg, who was then New York City’s mayor.

“‘We’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do, and which things we’re not, nobody wants to do that. Y’know, if you show up with prostate cancer, you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy. Have a nice [inaudible]. Live a long life. There’s no cure, and we can’t do anything.’ If you’re a young person, we should do something about it,” Bloomberg said in the video."

Since so many in this thread are trying to shift the context of this to prostate cancer, I'm adding the full transcript. It is NOT a discussion of prostate cancer.

""""
Segal’s brother: …I apologize for bringing up conditions in New York City during this [visit], but in light of my brother’s death, I must tell you that we have, I know you know this, but from personal experience the overcrowding in the emergency rooms is insane. He was there for 73 hours [inaudible] —

Bloomberg: It’s going to get worse with the health care bill [the Affordable Care Act] and with the governor’s cutbacks, because the governor’s cutbacks — which, he may not have any choice in all fairness to the governor — but there’d be less money, some of these small hospitals will close, some of these other programs, and people will come to the HHC [New York Health and Hospitals Corporation] hospitals, and that’s —

Segal’s brother: — They’ll be there for days, [inaudible].

Bloomberg: Well, they try to decide what things they can fix right away and what things they can’t fix right away. If you’re bleeding, they’ll stop the bleeding, if you need an X-Ray, you’re going to have to wait. That’s just — all of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us. So not only do we have a problem, it’s going to bankrupt us, and we’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do and which things we’re not. Nobody wants to do that. If you show up with prostate cancer and you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy, have a nice [inaudible], lead a long life.’ There’s no cure and you can’t do anything. If you’re a young person, we should do something about it. Society’s not willing to do that yet. So we’re going to bankrupt us, and we’re not looking at prophylactic care. We’re not trying to take care of things so we don’t get sick. Nobody ever says thank you for keeping you from getting sick, they say thank you if you’re sick and we cure you […].

""""

[whathehell]

1. Death panels

it sounds like. I wonder how he'd like to be subjected to one.

[LaurenOlimina]

2. We can give him one on Super Tuesday!

[whathehell]

21. Touche!

[democrattotheend]

3. That is a distortion

I am no fan of Bloomberg - he's probably my last choice, other than maybe Tulsi. But he was specifically talking about whether a 95 year old should be treated for prostate cancer, a slow-growing cancer that takes so long to grow to the point of being fatal that doctors are split on whether a 75-year-old man should even get tested for it. I don't think any competent doctor would recommend an aggressive treatment regime for a 95-year-old with prostate cancer.

https://www.wphospital.org/blog/august-2019-(1)/are-you-too-old-to-be-screened-for-prostate-cancer

[elleng]

5. THANKS

[LaurenOlimina]

8. Yeah, that rightwing snopes.com. Those fiends.

[elleng]

4. Cut the crap,

STOP spewing right wing talking points, and note FACTS:

'with prostate cancer, you’re 95 years old, . . we can’t do anything.’ 'If you’re a young person, we should do something about it,” Bloomberg said in the video."'

GOT IT?

[democrattotheend]

7. A lot of people missed that he specifically said "prostate cancer"

And a lot more probably don't know why no reasonable doctor would recommend aggressive treatment for a 95-year-old with prostate cancer.

[elleng]

9. Right, nothing like propaganda.

[whathehell]

26. Um, but it seems he wasn't talking "reasonable", he was talking "money".

[democrattotheend]

37. Because it wouldn't make sense to spend public money on it either

But it's probably a moot point because I don't think any reasonable doctor would recommend the treatment. If a doctor is recommending aggressive treatment for prostate cancer in a 95-year-old, this doctor is either incompetent or crooked.

[whathehell]

40. I bet it would " make sense"

if it was his 95 year old butt on the line. He's said he wants to live to age 125. Then again, I'm sure he'd be happy. to BUY his way out of a death sentence.

[democrattotheend]

43. But I'm sure he'd be willing to pay for it with private funds

If he can find a doctor willing to even do it. And even then it would be insane. My dad had surgery and radiation for prostate cancer in his early 60's, and now he's stuck wearing diapers for the rest of his life. Prostate cancer treatment has serious side effects that I can't imagine would be worth it for a 95-year-old, given how slowly prostate cancer grows.

[whathehell]

44. So THAT makes all the difference..

Right...Gotcha.

[Politicub]

48. I don't think they missed it. They just ignore it because it doesn't support a damaging narrative.

I have real problems with Bloomberg with who he supported in past races. There's enough dirty laundry without making stuff up or misrepresenting his record.

I don't think people realize that willful distortion of a candidate's record or statements puts into question the sincerity of the poster's arguments.

[LaurenOlimina]

58. The full transcript... It is not a prostate cancer discussion.

Segal’s brother: …I apologize for bringing up conditions in New York City during this [visit], but in light of my brother’s death, I must tell you that we have, I know you know this, but from personal experience the overcrowding in the emergency rooms is insane. He was there for 73 hours [inaudible] —

Bloomberg: It’s going to get worse with the health care bill [the Affordable Care Act] and with the governor’s cutbacks, because the governor’s cutbacks — which, he may not have any choice in all fairness to the governor — but there’d be less money, some of these small hospitals will close, some of these other programs, and people will come to the HHC [New York Health and Hospitals Corporation] hospitals, and that’s —

Segal’s brother: — They’ll be there for days, [inaudible].

Bloomberg: Well, they try to decide what things they can fix right away and what things they can’t fix right away. If you’re bleeding, they’ll stop the bleeding, if you need an X-Ray, you’re going to have to wait. That’s just — all of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us. So not only do we have a problem, it’s going to bankrupt us, and we’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do and which things we’re not. Nobody wants to do that. If you show up with prostate cancer and you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy, have a nice [inaudible], lead a long life.’ There’s no cure and you can’t do anything. If you’re a young person, we should do something about it. Society’s not willing to do that yet. So we’re going to bankrupt us, and we’re not looking at prophylactic care. We’re not trying to take care of things so we don’t get sick. Nobody ever says thank you for keeping you from getting sick, they say thank you if you’re sick and we cure you […].

[democrattotheend]

61. But the part about not treating the elderly was about prostate cancer

Which your headline does not reflect. Nor does the tweet I saw about this that implied he didn't think old people were deserving of any cancer treatment.

Look, I'm no fan of Bloomberg, but as someone else here so eloquently put it, we lose credibility when we misrepresent statements. Bloomberg's made plenty of offensive statements without us having to distort anything.

[LaurenOlimina]

11. He was attacking the ACA in this discussion by the way.

[elleng]

12. 'by the way' is not relevant when 'the story' is about

PROSTATE CANCER in the elderly.

[whathehell]

22. What is so apecial about "PROSTATE cancer in the elderly"?

What about Colorectal, or any other kind of cancer in the elderly?

[elleng]

24. This meme came up:'Bloomberg wanted the old and sick to die to save money.'

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bloomberg-elderly-cancer/?fbclid=IwAR3lg01G-xQmCk450LIV2AtNkQ60X35_hjujVf4t2lIyE1EHT7fLYSPKJxo

"Billionaire and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg said in a 2011 video that elderly cancer patients should be denied treatment in order to cut health care costs. “All of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us,” said Bloomberg, who was then New York City’s mayor.

“‘We’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do, and which things we’re not, nobody wants to do that. Y’know, if you show up with prostate cancer, you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy. Have a nice [inaudible]. Live a long life. There’s no cure, and we can’t do anything.’ If you’re a young person, we should do something about it,” Bloomberg said in the video."

[lapucelle]

31. Treatment for that cancer at that age neither improves quality of life

nor increases life expectancy, and the treatment itself might be risky for a 95 year old.

[whathehell]

42. I'd favor letting the patient, not Bloomberg, make the decision. n/t

[TwilightZone]

32. Because they don't generally treat prostate cancer in people that old...

unless it's late-stage or likely to spread because something else will often kill them first. Many prostate cancers are very slow-growing and the side effects of the treatment can be worse than leaving it alone.

[LaurenOlimina]

56. If you read the snopes factcheck, they are discussing the ACA, Obamacare.

hey are sitting shiva for a man who died after a 70+ hour wait in the emergency room. The context is all in the video.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. He also once said he wants to live to the age of 125.

[LaurenOlimina]

10. He's not talking about himself.

Oh, he'd get his cancer out to be sure.

[elleng]

13. because he'll be treated for it well before he's 95,

as was my 80 year old friend.

[whathehell]

23. What makes you oh so sure of that?

You think he's smarter or just richer than the average cancer victim?

[elleng]

25. The treatment is commonly available.

[whathehell]

29. What if it doesn't manifest until one is 95?

Is it still 'commonly available'? That certainly doesn't sound like Bloomberg's plan.

[elleng]

34. Not likely advisable @ that age, but I'm not a doctor.

Probably generally available.

This is radiation treatment I'm referring to, with meds, not surgery.

EDIT: IF doesn't manifest til that age, likely not 'deadly,' but again, I'm not a doc.

[whathehell]

41. No, you're not and neither is Bloomberg. n/t

[elleng]

45. 'Just' rational.

[whathehell]

46. "Just" being the operative word, I'd say

given the overall context.

[elleng]

47. Right, 'just' informed by my friend's experience at the National Institutes of Health,

where I was informed about the process along with him, and have observed his progress for the past 3 years.

[whathehell]

49. ..and are now an irrefutable expert, I'm sure.

[elleng]

50. I am an irrefutable expert in MY experience observing,

which I decided to share here for the benefit of whomever.

[whathehell]

51. Ah yes, we.are all, "irrefutable experts" in our own experience

The pertinent question being, how 'expert' is your experience as it pertains across the board?

[Hoyt]

14. Fifteenth post on this. Canada, Britain, France, etc., do the same thing.

[LaurenOlimina]

15. He was attacking the ACA when he said it.

[Hoyt]

17. ACA doesn't cover 95 year-olds.

[Kaleva]

18. You leave out the part where he supported the House version of ACA

The version that had the public option.

[LaurenOlimina]

59. The transcript:

Segal’s brother: …I apologize for bringing up conditions in New York City during this [visit], but in light of my brother’s death, I must tell you that we have, I know you know this, but from personal experience the overcrowding in the emergency rooms is insane. He was there for 73 hours [inaudible] —

Bloomberg: It’s going to get worse with the health care bill [the Affordable Care Act] and with the governor’s cutbacks, because the governor’s cutbacks — which, he may not have any choice in all fairness to the governor — but there’d be less money, some of these small hospitals will close, some of these other programs, and people will come to the HHC [New York Health and Hospitals Corporation] hospitals, and that’s —

Segal’s brother: — They’ll be there for days, [inaudible].

Bloomberg: Well, they try to decide what things they can fix right away and what things they can’t fix right away. If you’re bleeding, they’ll stop the bleeding, if you need an X-Ray, you’re going to have to wait. That’s just — all of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us. So not only do we have a problem, it’s going to bankrupt us, and we’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do and which things we’re not. Nobody wants to do that. If you show up with prostate cancer and you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy, have a nice [inaudible], lead a long life.’ There’s no cure and you can’t do anything. If you’re a young person, we should do something about it. Society’s not willing to do that yet. So we’re going to bankrupt us, and we’re not looking at prophylactic care. We’re not trying to take care of things so we don’t get sick. Nobody ever says thank you for keeping you from getting sick, they say thank you if you’re sick and we cure you […].

[Kaleva]

16. Read Redqueens OP on this. The replies are very informative.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287529763#post112

[Dream Girl]

19. Stop twisting and distorting. Ok?

[LaurenOlimina]

20. Link to snopes.com is right there in the op.

[SunsetDreams2]

60. The link is there but the title of your OP

Is twisting and distorting not only what Bloomberg said but also the title that Snopes used.

Snopes: Did Bloomberg Say Elderly Cancer Patients Should Not Be Treated To Alleviate Health Care Costs?

(Bold emphasis mine)

Your OP Title: Bloomberg wanted the old and sick to die to save money

Your OP title makes it sound like he wanted ALL sick and elderly to die

Typically, Prostate Cancer is very slow growing. THAT is the comparison Bloomberg was making. I wish he would have explained that for people who don’t understand just how slow growing most types of Prostate Cancer is. The title of your OP is rather “hair on fire”

Chemo and Radiation have significant side effects. They not only destroy bad cells but destroy good cells right along with them.

A 95 year old man in the twilight years of his life perhaps may choose quality over quantity.



My husbands Grandfather lived for 20 years after diagnosis without chemo or radiation.

I do not in anyway think that Bloomberg was suggesting that Doctors or Health Professionals should lie to that 95 year old patient and send him on his way to protect healthcare costs. Maybe an Insurance Company, which is interested in protecting health care costs would do that.

[Calculating]

27. I mean, he's not entirely wrong

...

[dlk]

28. And how old is Bloomberg...?

[dchill]

30. I already can't stand him. Now THIS?

[BusyBeingBest]

36. He didn't suggest not treating 95 year olds with cancer. He said

society wasn't willing to do that. And he was specific about prostate cancer, which usually isn't treated aggressively with people in their 90's anyway. He was just talking about the realities of our health care system.

[TwilightZone]

33. I suspect that you're unfamiliar with prostate cancer and its treatment.

Many prostate cancers are very slow-growing and the side effects of the treatment at that age can be worse than leaving it alone.

They don't generally treat it in people that old unless it's late-stage or likely to spread because something else will usually kill them first.

That's why he specifically said prostate cancer. His assertion is accurate.

[BusyBeingBest]

35. Where's that "not this shit again" guy when you need him?

[rzemanfl]

53. Present. NTSA posted. n/t

[OliverQ]

38. I've yet to see a big difference between Trump and Bloomberg

other than Bloomberg has more experience and comes in a nicer package.

[BusyBeingBest]

39. Well, Bloomberg helped impeach the Orange Don by supporting

many Dem House candidates in 2018. Not seeing the difference yet? Bloomberg believes in climate change and wants to combat it. Bloomberg believes in--and donates to--women's choice and health. Still no difference? Bloomberg supports strengthening the ACA. Bloomberg is a staunch supporter of gun control, more so than some Democrats. No difference? Bloomberg didn't inherit his money and was successful on his own in several careers and business ventures. He raised two decent daughters to adulthood, unlike the freak show that tRump spawned. Let me know when you spot a difference.

[LaurenOlimina]

55. And helped acquit the Orange Don by supporting guys like Lindsay Graham.

[rzemanfl]

52. NTSA. He was talking about prostate cancer in old men. Stop it already!

[LaurenOlimina]

54. Actually, they were talking about the ACA according to snopes.

[rzemanfl]

57. I read the article and the direct quote. He was talking about a 95 year old man with prostate

cancer.

[LaurenOlimina]

63. It is about the ACA... Here is the full quote. Please stop with the distortions.

The family was sitting shiva. Here is the conversation, fro the video, in the article you "read."

""""
Segal’s brother: …I apologize for bringing up conditions in New York City during this [visit], but in light of my brother’s death, I must tell you that we have, I know you know this, but from personal experience the overcrowding in the emergency rooms is insane. He was there for 73 hours [inaudible] —

Bloomberg: It’s going to get worse with the health care bill [the Affordable Care Act] and with the governor’s cutbacks, because the governor’s cutbacks — which, he may not have any choice in all fairness to the governor — but there’d be less money, some of these small hospitals will close, some of these other programs, and people will come to the HHC [New York Health and Hospitals Corporation] hospitals, and that’s —

Segal’s brother: — They’ll be there for days, [inaudible].

Bloomberg: Well, they try to decide what things they can fix right away and what things they can’t fix right away. If you’re bleeding, they’ll stop the bleeding, if you need an X-Ray, you’re going to have to wait. That’s just — all of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us. So not only do we have a problem, it’s going to bankrupt us, and we’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do and which things we’re not. Nobody wants to do that. If you show up with prostate cancer and you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy, have a nice [inaudible], lead a long life.’ There’s no cure and you can’t do anything. If you’re a young person, we should do something about it. Society’s not willing to do that yet. So we’re going to bankrupt us, and we’re not looking at prophylactic care. We’re not trying to take care of things so we don’t get sick. Nobody ever says thank you for keeping you from getting sick, they say thank you if you’re sick and we cure you […].

""""

[rzemanfl]

64. Your subject line is a distortion. Bye. n/t

[David__77]

62. Democrats have an opportunity to defend life.

It can be done by making health care a right not contingent upon payment.