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Speak Now or Forever Hold Your PeaceBy Cheryl Bryantbruce, M.D.On November 22, 2009 60 votes carried the healthcare reform debate forward. OnNovember 21, 2009, all over the country physicians and healthcare workers donnedtheir scrubs and white coats to take a stand against the current healthcare reformbill being proposed by participating in their own versions of the TEA Parties and“Town Hall Meetings”, the Million Med March. Although turnouts were goodthroughout the country, still more needs to be done to raise the awareness of themedical community and the public it serves. The medical community cannot affordto repeat the apathy of 1989 that allowed managed care, HMO’s to get a foothold inmedicine. The medical community has to be active and pro-active in dealing withthis healthcare reform debate to make sure that any reform that occurs serves thebest interest of both the patients and the medical establishment that provides theircare as opposed to serving the interest of the parasites, including the government,that stands to gain from the current reforms being proposed.At the Million Med March which I attended in Houston, Texas, a number of partiesspoke out, including physicians (both primary care and specialists), concernedcitizens, a medical device salesman, and even a politician. They came identifyingproblems with the current healthcare reform proposals. They didn’t just comethrowing rocks however; they came proposing potential solutions.Dr. Thomas Parr, an orthopedist from Foundation Surgical Hospital and a formerarmy medical officer was the keynote speaker. One of the main points that hedrove home was that the clause that allows medical providers to “opt out” of the“government option” is a farce. Once the government artificially lowers the cost of insurance, they create a monopoly, because private insurers will not be able tocompete. An uninformed public buys into the idea of the public option, becausethey see it as low cost healthcare, not understanding that it is being paid for byboth cutting the payout to providers that are already getting paid rates that theyhaven’t seen since 2001, in spite of exponentially rising inflationary cost, and byincreased taxation, which will end up costing the public more in the long run as awhole than just paying for the private insurance or paying the bill themselves wouldhave costed. The other cost to them will be sub-optimal care when millions of people are dumped onto a care system that is already over-burdened to thebreaking point. There will be little hope of attracting new care providers asphysicians start opting out of healthcare in a mass exodus as this governmentmonopoly develops. Dr. Parr pointed out that just as we saw happen with managed
 
care, there will be no real “option” for medical providers. He stated, “Oncegovernment has a monopoly, you can ‘opt out’ all you want, you just won’t be ableto get paid until you decide to opt in!” This point was seconded by one of theHouston Med March organizers, Dr. Kathy Hansen, a family physician. She stated,“Nobody is representing the common physician on the ground. The AMA no longerrepresents us. Government run health care takes away choice.”David Paulus, a medical device salesman, stated, “The rug’s getting ready to bepulled out from under you [sic doctors] and so many of you don’t even see what’sgoing on. He focused on the tax component of the healthcare reform. He pointedout that these reforms would affect the public and the medical community alike. The senate is proposing 20 million dollars in taxes on class II and class III medicaldevices. Research and development for these devices depends substantially onventure capital, which will be dramatically eroded by these heavy taxations, with adisproportionate amount affecting the small R&D companies. Paulus contends,“Medical device manufacturing will be forced to move offshore when the new taxesare put into place.” This would create a trickle down effect, including the loss of asubstantial number of jobs in the U.S. Patients and physicians alike will pay ahigher price for necessary equipment. Mr. Paulus also pointed out that the currentpresumption is that 30 million illegal aliens would have immunity from the taxation,but would continue to burden the system.Dr. Joseph Christie, a doctor of chiropractic medicine and a technology expert, whohappens to be running for Houston City Council as an independent at large wasstrong in his position. He stated, “Coverage is about money! This problem is aboutmoney! This [sic healthcare reform] is not about caring for patients!” I personallyam inclined to strongly concur with this statement!Starr Pendergraft, wife of California chiropractor Dr. David Pendergraft, journeyedall the way from her Redondo Beach home in a van decorated with political slogansto support this cause, which she feels so strongly about. She stated, “Thegovernment is already competing with physicians.” She astutely pointed out thatthe government got the H1N1 immunizations before private physicians could, thendecided who would be given the supply to provide at sites of the government’sdetermination. John Bentley, organizer of the Clearlake TEA Party in Clearlake, Texas re-emphasized the financial aspects of the healthcare reform. He and his wife passed
 
bumperstickers that said, “Take Back America.” Bentley stressed that it isimportant that Americans understand what the acronym “T.E.A.” in the TEA Partiesstands for, which is “Taxed Enough Already!” He encouraged all fellow Americans,the public and the medical establishment in particular to become educated aboutand involved in the healthcare reform process before it is too late.In terms of suggestions for needed reforms, Dr. Parr was adamant in his positionthat we must “get rid of pre-existing condition clauses.” A Victoria, Texas familypractitioner, Dr. Shirley Pigott had the following recommendations, which werevocally supported by Dr. Stanley Jones and Dr. Jose Rodriguez, also orthopedist fromFoundation Surgical Hospital, along with many others:1.“Insurance portability across state lines to make rates competitive2.Insurance companies should be subject to the same anti-trust laws asphysicians3.Same tax credits for small businesses as large corporations get4.Elected government officials should get the same healthcare plans aseveryone else.”Dr. Spigott’s last recommendation brought shouts and an uproar of applause. The bottom line to all of the discussion at the Million Med marches throughout thecountry though really boils down to the fact that we are currently in a major crisis inthis country in general and in our healthcare system in particular. There is a call forthe medical community, especially physicians and nurses to galvanize to representthe best interest of the public, our patients and the medical community that servesthem. There is a call for the medical community to get involved, educatingthemselves and their patients, so that they too can get involved and take aninformed position standing for their own best interest. This healthcare debateneeds more input from physicians and other health professionals. We must take astand. We must speak now or forever hold our peace!Are you ready to become involved in this fight? Will you educate yourself on theissues instead of responding emotionally to hearsay and propaganda? Will youwrite to your senator? Will you support the next TEA Party or march? The two signsbelow said it best:“A SICK GOVERNMENT CAN”T RUN HEALTHCARE”And
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