San Antonio Doctors Take On ObamaCare, Urge Patients to Vote Out Local Dems
Politicians ought to have to take a version of the Hippocratic oath to do no harm. If they had, ObamaCare wouldn’t exist and doctors like a group in San Antonio, Texas, wouldn’t feel compelled to take political stands that might annoy or even enrage their patients — even if the stand being taken is the right one, and for the right reasons.
To paraphrase soon to be former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, now that the Democrats have passed ObamaCare, the nation is finding out what’s in it. That knowledge is what’s driving 61% to favor repeal, and it has also driven doctors to speak out. Some, like Dr. Donna Campbell, Dr. Robert Steele, and Dr. Scott DesJarlais, ran or are running for Congress against entrenched Democrat incumbents. Doctors at a health care network in the San Antonio area — HealthTexas Medical Group — have gone on the offensive with an open letter to their patients. The letter is signed by 16 of the group’s physicians, and it lays out a strong case for why ObamaCare is a disaster in the making. The letter begins:
As physicians it is our fundamental responsibility and our solemn duty to be our patients’ advocates. For this reason we believe we must share with you our serious concerns regarding the Healthcare Reform Bill passed by Congress in March 2010. We strongly believe that this Healthcare Reform Bill will have negative effects for the great majority of our patients, particularly for seniors, and that it is bad medicine for our country in general.
I spoke with a HealthTexas media rep on Monday afternoon to verify that the letter is real and to ask how patients have reacted to it. The letter is real, has been around for a couple of months now, and patients have understandably had mixed reactions to it. They’re visiting the doctor for health care, not politics. The thing is, though, ObamaCare has politicized health care to a degree Americans have never seen. And the spokeswoman said that once staff have explained the letter to patients, they understand the doctors’ intent and seem to be fine with the letter. The spokeswoman didn’t indicate any lasting negative effects of loss of business. That, in my and most Americans’ opinion, awaits the full implementation of ObamaCare.
I don’t know whether Health Texas Medical Group is a physician owned network or not. However, if it is, the doctors are in a heap of trouble. The Democrats slipped in a provision in 0care that blocks doctors from building or expanding their hospitals. The provision (Section 6001) prevents a new physician-owned hospital from receiving Medicare certification after the end of this year if its doctors refer patients to that hospital. The section also applies to any expansion of physician owned hospitals. It does this via the simple expedient of refusing to certify them as eligible for Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements if they refer seniors and others to their own hospital!
The doctors will not be hurt if they are banned from Medicare/Medicaid. Doctors and hospitals lose money on these programs. By blacklisting them their practices will become more profitable. The ban will only hurt patients.
Not a problem. It has been done before. A group of Texas doctors buys a hospital from a group of doctors in Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma doctors buy the Texas doctors’ hospital. They then send their patients to the hospital owned by their “partners” out-of-state, thus by-passing the law. I’ve seen doctors put infusion and dialysis centers in their lover’s name to avoid the conflict of sending patients to a facility “owned” by the doctor.
Physicians allowed the AMA and Obama to “roll them” in making it look like doctors approved of the “crap sandwich” of ObamaCare.
It’s not too late, but physicians across the country are going to have to get political and help Conservative Republicans overturn this looming DISASTER of Government controlled health care. November 2010 and 2012 will make it possible but Republicans (preferably Conservatives) have to regain the House, Senate and White House to accomplish the DESTRUCTION of ObamaCare.
I have been in practice in San Antonio for 52 years and have a thriving practice. I have just closed my practice because I could no longer practice medicine the way I was taught and which patients loved and which was effective and inexpensive. The changes to come are going to be a disaster for patients.
I am so sorry to hear of the closure of your practice. I think people in Texas are so complacent about the long term effects of this piece of bad legislation on our state.
Hillarycare included jail terms for people who violated some of its dictates. Obamacare is worse.
The doctors were not “rolled” by Obamacare and only the board of the AMA voted for the junk, they heard about it. Besides, only 13% of doctors are in the AMA. The fact is that we have been putting up with this crap for over 20 years. Our freedowms have been significantly restricted. I for one feel that it is time for revolt, and I am not talking about the ballot. You can not imagine what is going to happen to healthcare in a few years.
Why would a political oath to ‘do no harm’ do any good?
Everybody in Congress already took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” but they don’t do it.
Obviously oaths mean nothing to them.
It still worries me that the Gang of 219 who voted for Obamacare have a greater than 3 to 1 advantage in funding; $238M to $72M, with 12 of the races being uncontested. That leaves $1,150,000 for each Democrat in the race. Only 6 of the Republicans have more cash than their Democrat opponent.
Jim-this is the one year I dont think the money matters as much. Look at Christine ODonnell-Outgunned financially in every way. And some republicans are funding themselves-Fiorina in Calif, Johnson in Wisconsin, GOP house district 13 in NE Ohio Tom Ganley, Meg Whitman- are so POd they are funding there own campaigns. Ive been to about 4 or 5 tea parties , and if they indicate anything, ANY left of center candidate not inan urban district is going to have a huge problem.
BTW Jim-the so-called “stimulus” is really a slush fund for the dhims. Thats where most of there cash advantage comes from. They are trying to re-do FDR all over again.
If we keep pushing we will prevail.
Wonder if this has even made the San Antonio rag of a paper? Doubt it.
My wife was a Physician near Seattle, WA. Our state passed Hillary care light that basically reduced our insurance choices to just a few firms and required significant revisions to allow any individual market. We ended up with very expensive insurance with little choice. Prior to her retirement in 2006 Medicare would disallow treatments and made it illegal for her to accept other forms of payment except for secondary insurance. Medicaid would pay around $30 for a brief doctor visit, well below the cost of her office and staff, not counting her time.
O’Care has clearly made it worse. Canadian Healthcare looks great compared.
scott…you hit the nail on the head. That so-called newspaper, The San Antonio Express is in the tank for the dems and for the LEGIONS of illegals residing in San Antonio.
The San Antonio depress-joining the LONG LIST of soon -to-be former “newspapers” out of business after Pajamas media and Andrew Brietbart continue to expsoe them as the frauds and communist ideologues they are. That day has been long in coming.
Can’t be soon enough with the Express News. We didnt even get any play when our “wonderful” mayor dissed the Alamo!
I recall a recent read whereas the Houston public education system posted 70% of their students failed the physical fitness test. Seventy percent!!!
Oh, and their Mayoral race this past Spring elected their ‘first L esbian Mayor’ with a 16% of registered Houston voters partaking in the vote.
Man, that’s A LOT of lazy, fat parents who are more than likely going to get ‘free’ health insurance.. I wonder if this is the teacher’s fault too. It can’t be the parents..!
‘Consume. Obey. Stay asleep’ – from the movie, ‘They Live’
As far as obesity, I wonder if its a chicken-egg relationship in Europe, with its much lower obesity rates. If my fate was to waste away in the government health care queue should I develop Type II diabetes, heart problems, colon cancer et al…I would definitely be motivated to not eat certain things throughout my life. And not to mention their “illegals” supposedly dont consume alcohol and starve themselves for a month every year, as opposed to eat a high calorie corn product with every meal.
Yep-and even some demonrats like Chet Edwards are feeling the pain of being a Zerobot. Sort of a shame, Edwards has actually been fairly decent on issues regarding our soldiers, but his support of TARP and Zerobot Dr Kevorkian “health” care is sinking him. Thats what you get for being a Piglosi, Edwards. Join about50-60 of your fellow lefty colleguaes on there way out come January.
Is Edwards up for reelection, and if so, isn’t he a shoo in? I thought he had his district sewn up…
Sounds like they have some doctors in SA that not only offer medical advice, but some damn good political advice as well! SA residents, obey your doctor’s orders . . . . you might live a lot longer, and richer lives!
Every house seat is up for election every 2 years. Chet Edwards is a marked man for removal ever since last fall for voting for TARP. The Tea Party members throughout the region (beyond his district) are working to replace him with Bill Flores. He does not have his seat “sewn up.”
Wow. A commercial health-care provider takes issue with a plan that sets out to make health care cheaper and more widely available. Shock. Horror. Knock me down with a feather.
Can’t anyone here think of any other reasons why they might want to criticise a cheap, public health care option? Not even one?
Always back self-interest.
Wow. An idiot liberal takes issue with a group of medical doctors who might actually be opposed to government-run health care. Well, knock me down with a feather.
A smart narco would give up the bullet-laden life and open clinics and hospitals a couple hundred miles to the south.
The GOP’s Pledge to America is a MISPRINT.
It should read ‘Death to America’
Sounds familiar?
Do you ever get tired of following the script?
Hello, Neat post. There is a problem together with your site in web explorer, would check this? IE nonetheless is the market chief and a good part of folks will miss your wonderful writing due to this problem.
You can definitely see your skills within the paintings you write. The arena hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. Always follow your heart.