Oh, the howling. A doctor unhappy with the passage of Obamacare put up a note stating, “If you voted for Obama–seek urological care elsewhere. Changes to your health care begin right now. Not in four years.”
Some are outraged, including a demagogue Congressman who once said Republican House Members wanted patients to “die quickly.” From the FNN story:
An outspoken U.S. congressman is planning to file a complaint against the central Florida urologist who posted a sign on his office door warning supporters of President Obama to find a different doctor.
A spokesman for Rep. Alan Grayson, who angered Republicans last year when he said they wanted sick Americans to “die quickly,” told FoxNews.com that Florida Democrat is helping a constituent who was affected by the sign to file a complaint next week with the proper authorities. Grayson will also file additional complaints with all relevant boards or agencies, Grayson spokesman Todd Jurkowski said.
Now, if the doctor were really refusing to treat Obama voters, it would be outrageous. But, of course, he isn’t. From the Orlando Sentinel story:
Cassell told the Orlando Sentinel that he has not refused to treat any patient for his or her political views and does not quiz patients about their politics, but he also does not plan to take the sign down. “I have plenty of Obama supporters in my patient base and we have a lot of political discussions. I’m not cutting anybody out of their care. I’m not refusing care on the basis of their political beliefs,” he reiterated in an exchange with Cavuto. “I hope that more and more Obama supporters come through to find out what all the fuss is about because I think we have to do something about this.”
Seems like just a little exercise in the old First Amendment to me. Those who are screaming and yelling merely gave the doctor’s modest individual advocacy a big boost. They should have ignored it. By making a federal case out of the note, they just keep Obamacare in the news, and elevate a physician as a key opponent–neither of which is likely to help POTUS’s or the law’s already poor poll numbers.
Of course, the real problem with Obamacare will not be doctors writing politically provocative notes. Unless we walk back substantial parts of the new law, it might not just be protest signs on office doors but doctors voting with their feet and either getting out of medicine altogether or transforming to a purely non insurance fee for service practice–the kind of thing we have begun to see already with Medicare and Medicaid.
April 3rd, 2010 | 8:07 pm
“Now, if the doctor were really refusing to treat Obama voters, it would be outrageous. ”
The note says “seek urologic care elsewhere.” Sounds pretty unambiguous to me. And I would, since this guy sounds like he’s more interested in politics than medicine.
April 3rd, 2010 | 8:44 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Vince Humphreys, Robert Feldtman. Robert Feldtman said: RT @CO2HOG: SHS: Obamacare: Supporters Too Touchy About Doctor’s Protest Note http://bit.ly/abr75d #tcot [...]
April 4th, 2010 | 6:37 am
The point is we all still have a choice of who we would like to treat us. But for how long?
April 4th, 2010 | 11:26 am
A sign telling patients to go away if they don’t buy his politics is hardly the same as one simply expressing his political views. I don’t see the First Amendment connection at all.
April 4th, 2010 | 4:25 pm
True, George. He can exercise his right to speech, and his patients can exercise their right to choose another health care provider. Which we all still have, despite neo-con fearmongering.
April 4th, 2010 | 7:45 pm
I applaud this doctor. He is making a statement without hurting anyone. He is only looking out for his practice and his already patient’s.
THis is just the start of how hundreds of people in the medical field feel. Myself included. This health act sounds good up front but has to many hidden adgendas and secrets attacthed to it.
GOD HELP US ALL!
April 4th, 2010 | 9:59 pm
Physicians should have the right to turn away patients and let them die for whichever reasons or mythology strike their fancy. Thus, there is no reason to get upset with physicians advocating for removal of feeding tubes for any reason they see fit.
It’s always logically consistent to apply various ethical standards when one’s emtions see fit.
April 5th, 2010 | 11:29 am
>>And I would, since this guy sounds like he’s more interested in politics than medicine.>>
Your right. You can choose your doctor – why shouldn’t he have the right to choose his patients?
By the way…if a patient who voted for Obama still chooses to enter his office for treatment – how is the doctor going to _know_ who the person voted for?
April 6th, 2010 | 8:35 am
I wonder — if the doctor had a sign in his window that said he doesn’t treat African-Americans [irrelevant religious reference omitted--NO MORE History Writer] would Wesley be celebrating his First Amendment rights?
April 6th, 2010 | 11:29 am
>>if the doctor had a sign in his window that said he doesn’t treat African-Americans…>>
1) he doesn’t say he won’t treat someone. He just says “go elsewhere” if you support Obama’s Health Care bill.
2) if one is African-American, one is also known as “black” for a reason. It’s just a tad apparent. If a black person reads the sign, walks though the door and the doctor refuses to treat him, you might have a point. Who one voted for in the last election is _not_ apparent. If you voted for Obama, read the sign and still walked through the door, the doctor might have reason to make assumptions, but he wouldn’t know. If he asked, you could answer “no”, and even if you _did_ vote for Obama – he still wouldn’t know.
April 6th, 2010 | 7:14 pm
suek: you’re hedging. Suppose I walked through his door sporting my Obama for President button?
Now he knows. Would that make it OK?
April 6th, 2010 | 7:21 pm
Wesley: “NO MORE” what? References to theology?
Your deletion causes my comment — which was a valid statement of a particular theological holding — look as if it were some kind of gratuitous insult.
That’s totally dishonest of you and, I daresay, has the stench of the propagandist about it. I believe you’re looking for a way to get me off your back ever since I pointed out the job you did on that ice graph.
Wesley J. Smith Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
History Writer: It was not valid, nor relevant. If you don’t like it, take a hike.
April 15th, 2010 | 8:43 pm
Most commercial insurers, BCBS, United Healthcare, Aetna…etc… reimburse doctors at a fixed capitated rate that is a percentage of Medicare rates. Thus, a 21% cut in Medicare reimbursement also means a 21% across the board, effective immediately. Most doctors are small business owners with all the same business problems as other small business owners. They cannot financially survive a 21% cut in reimbursements and keep their businesses operating. The days of rich, golf playing doctors are long, long gone. Doctors are not good politicians, but most of them are very good doctors who otherwise love people and want to do the right thing. It is up to the public to decide how much they value doctors.
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