Re: Not really Kick Counts
From: Richard Chudacoff, MD (rchudacoff@mylinuxisp.com)
Tue Dec 20 11:34:13 2005
They are not denied healthcare, just can't afford to pay for it. There is a
difference.
As far as being one of the most advanced countries, we are. However, we are
totally devoid of sympathy or empathy (at least on the national level.)
Now is medical care a right or a privilege? If the former, then get a
national healthcare system. If the latter, well, then you get what you pay
for, or not as the case may be. But, everyone has a choice. They could move
to Canada, and then the colposcopy would be paid for, through their high tax
dollars.
I hate the whining that comes with not being able to afford healthcare.
These are the same people who drop into the ER, get great care, get lives
saved, get babies delivered, and then expect me and my colleagues to eat the
cost. Hey, it is my job, not my charity. I work to support my family.
So, don't like it, change the system, or change to another country. Pro-bono
went out the door when the CEO of United Healthcare took home $140
million/yr
--
Richard Chudacoff, MD, FACOG
_____
From: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net [mailto:ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net] On Behalf Of fran
wilson
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:19 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L
Subject: Re: Not really Kick Counts
I know several women right now with abnormal paps that can't get a colpo
because they don't have money. Routine preventative care is not covered in
the ER. Until it is too late. They may be able to afford my sliding scale
pap smears but, unless they are really savvy, they have a hard time
qualifying for intermediate care.
And many folks don't have adequate health care for their diabetes, etc,
because they are undocumented. And dental care - don't even get me started
on that! Even with my good insurance, I plan to go to Mexico for some
bridgework.
McDonalds workers and 20 somethings without kids living just above the
poverty line just put up with or self medicate for alot of symptoms before
they get bad enough to go to the ER. And by then, the problem has grown to
expensive and disabling.
It is not because they are watching TV, it is because they went to the ER
once and ended up with a bill for a couple thousand dollars, that went to
collections because they could not pay, that has now caused them the grief
of not being able to get a decent apartment, a car, and sometimes even a
job. Many of our service workers in this country - that keep the prices
down and the unpleasant tasks done - have no access to primary care. And
many of us with insurance (the more well off) OR with medicaid or medicare
keep voting against a national health care plan because we might have to pay
more taxes. Well, let me clue you, those ER visits, bad debts, and
disability payments for what could have been found and treated during
preventative care are what will end up costing us more money in the long
run.
You are kidding yourselves if you think everyone can get health care in the
US just by going to the ER, and expecting the ER to be someones primary care
is saving a penny in preventative care in order to spend a dollar in
treatment and disability.
A country that purports to be one of the most advanced in the world (and
tries to tell the world how to run their business) ought to be ashamed!
Think of those people as your families join around the holiday tree - or
whatever is your prefernce - and enjoy expensive gifts and bountiful food.
The missions and, in many cases, the bridge underpasses are full of
disenfranchised people who not only have no health care they also have no
food or shelter.
Warm Solstice Greetings!
Fran Wilson, CNM
_____
From: doctorjoe@aol.com
Reply-To: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net
To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L <ob-gyn-l@dns.obgyn.net>
Subject: Re: Not really Kick Counts
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:22:25 -0600
Only anecdotes I know of are because the patient ELECTED to abstain from
medical care. Other things are more important, like staying at home and
watching TV, etc.
Joe P.
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Folley <agfolley@hotmail.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L <ob-gyn-l@dns.obgyn.net>
Sent: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:16:17 -0600
Subject: Re: Not really Kick Counts
Does anyone know of any women in the US who has not recieved health care or
does not have health care access available to her because of racial, age or
financial reasons?
>From: Dr Eberhard Lisse <el@lisse.NA>
>Reply-To: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net
>To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L <ob-gyn-l@dns.obgyn.net>
>Subject: Re: Not really Kick Counts
>Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 09:16:08 -0600
>
>Zach,
>
>when you reach my age, you'll realize that I enjoy my posts :-)-O
>
>I was not posting to the US medical community but to one clueless
>individual, though I do stand by the failures of society.
>
>In ! some countries the laws mandate health care for all, if only by the
>year 2010, 2020, 2030...
>
>The reason why this is not the case is because lions do not eat hyenas,
>hyenas share the spoils of lions' kills, thogh perhaps the lions don't
>like it :-)-O
>
>Same to you.
>
>el
>
>Zachariah Newton wrote:
> > Eberhard-
> >
> > You paint with a broader brush than Jackson Pollock, who threw paint
> > from cans against a palette.
> >
> > In the US, the medical community does have some handle on the
> > lowest-common-denominator style of the NHS, deplorable as it might be in
> > operation.
> >
> > The laws in the U.S. mandate that accessibility to the health care
> > system b! e open to all, regardless of ability to pay, via the emergency
> > room door of access.
> >
> > Your energy might be better spent by giving us pictures of the lion
> > catching a hyena, which is not the case with your prior message.
> >
> > In true joy, sincerely, Merry Christmas to you and your loving family.
> >
> > Zach
