Doc on a Rant......

[veritas]

Requoted with permission and names redacted* August 20, 2009

Yesterday, my doc went crazy. He told me that his group, which is made up of board-certified family practitioners, endorsed a public component to the new health care package. He went on a rant. He said if people were on the "front lines," as he is, they'd change their minds soon enough. He said every week he sees patients die because they have no money. People who work two, sometimes three jobs, but have no insurance and the government says "die." He was really angry about those who don't want to treat illegals. He said aren't they people too? Don't they get to live? They work here, too. No. Die. Just die.

I mean he WENT NUTS. I put my hand on his forearm, because he wouldn't let me get a word in, and said J***, I feel the same way you do. You know that. He took a deep breath and said he knew that; that's why he felt he could go on his rant.

I guess he didn't go into medicine for the money. He did say that the heart surgeons voted no, and that's because they want the money. They see unconscious patients all day long, at $50,000 or more a pop, and they're not about to lose that lifestyle. That some of them are so far in debt, even earning millions a year, they say they can't afford to lose money. He said nearly all of the specialists will vote no.

So someone from the front lines went crazy yesterday morning.

A tale from the real world, in real time from real people.