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Doctor who refuses to treat Obama supporters doesnt know whats in the bill?
Dr. Jack Cassell, the Orlando urologist who put a sign on his door letting patients know he doesn’t want to have to treat them if they are Obama/health care reform supporters, was on my radio show Friday night, but didn’t seem to know much about the health care bill he’s criticizing.
At 1:46 in:
Cassell: Hospice cuts in 2012…Does the government want people to die slowly?
Colmes: Do you really think the government wants people dead?
Cassell: Well I think that they’re cutting all supportive care, like nursing homes, ambulance services…
Colmes: What to you mean they’re cutting nursing homes?
Cassell: They’re cutting nursing home reimbursements
Colmes: Isn’t what they’re cutting under the Medicare plan what was really double dipping; they were getting credits and they were getting to deduct them at the same time.
Cassell: Well you know, I can’t tell you exactly what the deal is.
Colmes: If you can’t tell us exactly what the deal is, why are you opposing it and fighting against it?
Cassell: I’m not the guy who wrote the plan.
Colmes: But if you don’t know what the deal is why are you speaking out against something you don’t know what the deal is?
Cassell: What I get online, just like any other American. What I’m supposed to understand about the bill should be available to me.
Colmes: It is; it’s been online for a long time; it’s also been all over the media…
In fact, the National Association of Home Care and Hospice praises much of the bill.
The health care bill is sweeping legislation in every sense, beginning with a ground-up transformation from an acute care-based, institutionally oriented health system to one that focuses on disease prevention and home and community-based care, the latter primarily through the bill’s inclusion of a program called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act and significant expansions of Medicaid. As you may already know, the Florida Medicaid program’s annual budget now surpasses the statewide education budget. If (and it’s a BIG if) this CLASS act does what it says it will do, it could provide an opportunity for expansion of home health care services over time as changes are implemented and the cost savings that can be attributed to home health care versus institutional care are realized.
And while there was opposition to the House version of the bill, the version that was passed, the Senate version, is much more acceptable to the home health care and hospice community.
The original House legislation would have imposed deeper cuts in projected home health and hospice spending over the next 10 years (approximately $55 billion for home health and $10 billion for hospice). The Senate version which was approved last night is a kinder, gentler version of home health care cuts, taking effect in smaller doses and a later implementation date than the original House bill so that agencies could adapt their operations and care practices to the changes.
Perhaps Dr. Cassell might want to revisit his opposition after learning more about the bill.
At 1:46 in:
Cassell: Hospice cuts in 2012…Does the government want people to die slowly?
Colmes: Do you really think the government wants people dead?
Cassell: Well I think that they’re cutting all supportive care, like nursing homes, ambulance services…
Colmes: What to you mean they’re cutting nursing homes?
Cassell: They’re cutting nursing home reimbursements
Colmes: Isn’t what they’re cutting under the Medicare plan what was really double dipping; they were getting credits and they were getting to deduct them at the same time.
Cassell: Well you know, I can’t tell you exactly what the deal is.
Colmes: If you can’t tell us exactly what the deal is, why are you opposing it and fighting against it?
Cassell: I’m not the guy who wrote the plan.
Colmes: But if you don’t know what the deal is why are you speaking out against something you don’t know what the deal is?
Cassell: What I get online, just like any other American. What I’m supposed to understand about the bill should be available to me.
Colmes: It is; it’s been online for a long time; it’s also been all over the media…
In fact, the National Association of Home Care and Hospice praises much of the bill.
The health care bill is sweeping legislation in every sense, beginning with a ground-up transformation from an acute care-based, institutionally oriented health system to one that focuses on disease prevention and home and community-based care, the latter primarily through the bill’s inclusion of a program called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act and significant expansions of Medicaid. As you may already know, the Florida Medicaid program’s annual budget now surpasses the statewide education budget. If (and it’s a BIG if) this CLASS act does what it says it will do, it could provide an opportunity for expansion of home health care services over time as changes are implemented and the cost savings that can be attributed to home health care versus institutional care are realized.
And while there was opposition to the House version of the bill, the version that was passed, the Senate version, is much more acceptable to the home health care and hospice community.
The original House legislation would have imposed deeper cuts in projected home health and hospice spending over the next 10 years (approximately $55 billion for home health and $10 billion for hospice). The Senate version which was approved last night is a kinder, gentler version of home health care cuts, taking effect in smaller doses and a later implementation date than the original House bill so that agencies could adapt their operations and care practices to the changes.
Perhaps Dr. Cassell might want to revisit his opposition after learning more about the bill.
I meant nothing negative in my use of the term "elderly" and do not refer to "elderly" as either useless OR impaired mentally. I know a lot of elderly people who are living very productive, happy lives. One of my favorite people is my 91 yr old aunt. When I use the term elderly, I simply refer to those of advanced age, in which category I, myself, might fit if being described by the right person(s)........lol
We are seeing insurance rates go up on a regular basis; mine at work goes up annually. I've also had meds dropped from the insurance company's formulary and had a very hard time because the generic they insisted I use did not work for me. Fortunately, through another diagnosis, I was able to eliminate the need for that particular med. I see these same things happening with my aunt's Medicare and/or supplemental insurance.
Yes, we are all affected by legislation and I believe that things will get worse before they get better, but I will make my voice heard at the polls.
We are seeing insurance rates go up on a regular basis; mine at work goes up annually. I've also had meds dropped from the insurance company's formulary and had a very hard time because the generic they insisted I use did not work for me. Fortunately, through another diagnosis, I was able to eliminate the need for that particular med. I see these same things happening with my aunt's Medicare and/or supplemental insurance.
Yes, we are all affected by legislation and I believe that things will get worse before they get better, but I will make my voice heard at the polls.
Your post is very informative thank you its good to get another perspective especially as we will all be coming up to the same age group, you are not bitter you make the best of it by the sound of it ,you are right if one cannot change something no point in ranting ,sometimes we can change things with debate and dialogue . Hope you have a good weekend ...
I have difficulty with being labeled elderly (read useless, impaired mentally, etc), but try not to let negative talk affect me. I do know first hand the huge difficulties Medicare presents retired people and the doctors who care for them.
My monthly insurance costs keep going up: currently spend over 350 for whatever care I get. Also have experienced a decrease in quality of care. I live in Orlando, and am aware of the fuss caused by sign doc posted in his window. Fun stuff.
I worked at a large public library which did not contribute to the social security system; this meant many librarians had to run out and get second jobs so they would qualify for Medicare part A (hospital benefits). When I retired at 70, my social benefits were cut by 2/3s. It was unjust but nothing I could do about it.
I try to live well on my income, and be happy. I have run into elders who are very bitter or very confused. If I cannot change a thing I see no merit in ranting about it.
In terms of choice and preventive care: taken away when you have Medicare, depending on what insurance carrier you can afford. I have a panic disorder, and this year insurance dropped my script from their formulary; since retirement , I have to pay doctor, who said he works for an insurance company from 9-5, and offered to see me pro bono after hours. I didn't take him up on his kind offer. The way I look at it doctors and patients are affected by legislation. Very difficult for all of us.
My monthly insurance costs keep going up: currently spend over 350 for whatever care I get. Also have experienced a decrease in quality of care. I live in Orlando, and am aware of the fuss caused by sign doc posted in his window. Fun stuff.
I worked at a large public library which did not contribute to the social security system; this meant many librarians had to run out and get second jobs so they would qualify for Medicare part A (hospital benefits). When I retired at 70, my social benefits were cut by 2/3s. It was unjust but nothing I could do about it.
I try to live well on my income, and be happy. I have run into elders who are very bitter or very confused. If I cannot change a thing I see no merit in ranting about it.
In terms of choice and preventive care: taken away when you have Medicare, depending on what insurance carrier you can afford. I have a panic disorder, and this year insurance dropped my script from their formulary; since retirement , I have to pay doctor, who said he works for an insurance company from 9-5, and offered to see me pro bono after hours. I didn't take him up on his kind offer. The way I look at it doctors and patients are affected by legislation. Very difficult for all of us.
I don't agree with your statement that doctors can't choose their patients. I can actually give you 2 instances that I know of firsthand.
1) I was at my (former) pcp's office one day a couple of years ago and when I went to the front desk to check out, the receptionist was having a hard time on the phone with a patient. The thing was, the patient was elderly and expected the doctor to be able to go to the hospital in the event that the patient was admitted. The receptionist was trying to explain that the doctor did not make hospital rounds, etc and in view of that, the doctor had instructed her (the receptionist) to inform the patient that s/he would need to get another doctor....
2) When I decided that my pcp (yep, the one referenced above) was not treating me according to present standards for the disease I have, I called another pcp's office to make an appointment. The procedure was that I needed to download (or they would send me) an "application"; I would fill it out and either mail or fax it back; IF the doctor decided to accept me as a patient, the office would then contact me to make an appointment.
Yes, they *can* choose their patients........
As to the doctor who doesn't want to treat Obama supporters --- I think he made it clear that he "would" treat them, just that if they chose to go elsewhere, it was okay with him.......
1) I was at my (former) pcp's office one day a couple of years ago and when I went to the front desk to check out, the receptionist was having a hard time on the phone with a patient. The thing was, the patient was elderly and expected the doctor to be able to go to the hospital in the event that the patient was admitted. The receptionist was trying to explain that the doctor did not make hospital rounds, etc and in view of that, the doctor had instructed her (the receptionist) to inform the patient that s/he would need to get another doctor....
2) When I decided that my pcp (yep, the one referenced above) was not treating me according to present standards for the disease I have, I called another pcp's office to make an appointment. The procedure was that I needed to download (or they would send me) an "application"; I would fill it out and either mail or fax it back; IF the doctor decided to accept me as a patient, the office would then contact me to make an appointment.
Yes, they *can* choose their patients........
As to the doctor who doesn't want to treat Obama supporters --- I think he made it clear that he "would" treat them, just that if they chose to go elsewhere, it was okay with him.......
Doctors can decide what health care coverage to accept or not. Many doctors won't take Medicaid for example. What this doctor did may not be illegal but its unethical. They have a right to take a political stance but not in the patients they choose.
He is a private citizen....
Up until a few years ago there were still doctors refusing to take medicare....
Up until a few years ago there were still doctors refusing to take medicare....
LOL figures.
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