My latest guest on the Fixing Healthcare podcast was Dr. Zeke Emanuel. Years ago, Zeke wrote a controversial essay for The Atlantic titled “Why I Hope to Die at 75,” citing the physical and cognitive declines that occur as people age.
Our recent conversation got me thinking about the people who deliver healthcare and make important decisions about healthcare policy. Is age just a number? That’s the subject of this month’s reader poll.
My thoughts: Interest in this set of questions was strong. Some results were predictable, others unexpected. For example, I expected that respondents would favor an age limit and mandatory cognitive testing for physicians in highly technical specialties. That makes sense given that a single mistake can be life-threatening.
However, I did not foresee the overwhelming majority of respondents favoring age restrictions (and mandatory testing) for Supreme Court justices and elected officials. I figured that readers would have been more concerned about the skills of a neurosurgeon than a member of congress.
Of course, it’s possible these responses would have been different prior to the recent and highly controversial Supreme Court decisions. Moreover, I am sure the routine gaffs of both the Biden and Trump administrations contributed to these responses, as well.
Thanks to everyone who voted! To participate in future surveys, and for access to timely news and opinion on American healthcare, sign up for my free (and ad-free) newsletter Monthly Musings on American Healthcare.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, the nation’s largest physician group. He’s a Forbes contributor, bestselling author, Stanford University professor, and host of two healthcare podcasts. Pearl’s newest book, “Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients,” is available now. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
