Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Wallet Biopsy

So, when we spoke with our daughter’s cardiologist last week one of the topics of the conversation was the pending health care hijacking legislation in the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Congress. The Boss, is, was, and has been concerned that if the government is in control of medicine that our daughter may not receive the second heart surgery that she needs. We have known for a year (and suspected for even longer) that she would need a second surgery. We were told last year that she will not survive into adulthood without it. The question isn’t, “Will she have surgery?” but “When will she have surgery?” Since some doctors have openly told us that had Captain Chaos needed her first heart surgery under the plans being force fed to an unwilling public considered in congress she would not have received the life saving medical care that she needed, the Boss has wondered whether or not we should ask to have her second surgery before Uncle Sam begins to make our medical decisions for us in order to insure that Captain Chaos gets the operation that she needs.

It’s kind of frightening to have to think about that in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Our daughter’s cardiologist is in favor of government run health care. In the past, he worked in a hospital where medical decisions were based on a “wallet biopsy” (his words) rather than on the needs of the patient. He also worked in hospitals in England, in a government run system that he approves of, and chose to work at Children’s Mercy Hospital because in a Mercy Hospital children receive the care that they need regardless of their parent’s ability to pay. Who pays for that “free” healthcare? My insurance company and all the insurance companies that pay their clients’ bills, as well as the generosity of philanthropists and the fund raising efforts of people like golfer Tom Watson. I respect this doctor’s opinions. I am grateful for his skills. He was the man who diagnosed Captain Chaos’ heart condition and started the course of medical treatment that saved her life.

This doctor went on to explain that in our current medical system medicine is rationed. He claims that it is rationed on a patient’s ability to pay. That is what he meant by his “wallet biopsy” comment. He would rather see our medicine rationed (he admitted that under Obama’s health care reform medicine will be rationed) based on how far the dollar can be stretched to all children. Who will lose? Adults. And the older they are, the less care they will receive. This man is completely in favor of sacrificing medical care for adults in favor of children. His advice was simple: get a good medical policy and keep it, because we will need private insurance if we want good medical care as we age.

No child may be left behind in this new system, but a great many adults will be.

Yesterday afternoon, I enjoyed a conversation with a homeschooling mom I haven’t seen in a few years. She is doing well after receiving her second pace maker after the first pace maker was faulty. She’s been on death’s door a few times since we last spoke. During the conversation she mentioned her distaste for the current administration and the pending health care legislation. I mentioned to her the comments made by the Captain’s cardiologist, and this woman clearly said, “I’d rather see your daughter get the care she needs instead of me if it comes down to a choice between the two of us.”

“That’s very kind and I thank you,” I replied. “But, I would rather see you both get the care you need.”

That brings me to two points concerning health care in these Untied States. The first is that I cannot support a politician, a party, or a process that does not believe in a fundamental respect for all human life. Those who support aborting and euthanizing human life cannot be allowed to be responsible for making decisions about health care. Secondly, they should do no harm. If medicine is to be rationed under the government plan, then they will be doing harm. Pediatricians should never be in competition with practitioners of geriatric medicine for resources. This is not acceptable. If we are going to overhaul health care in this country, we need to do so in a manner that improves the system for everyone rather than transferring current problems to other people, such as in simply changing how rationing takes place. We need to respect the rights of people who choose not to purchase health care. We need to make changes that preserve the capitalist system of business in this country. We need to get government out of our lives, not deeper into them.

The homeschooling mom in question is a retired Army wife. Her family has earned their medical care through her husband’s twenty plus years of service to this nation. Her care should never be placed in competition with the care that my daughter receives. We did not receive the insurance plan that pays for my daughter’s care because we won life’s lottery, either. We pay for that insurance plan every month. It is the result of a lot of hard work and sacrifice on our part, especially that of my wife, and most importantly of the blessings that we have received from above.

Life is sacred.

I wish our leaders knew that, and made their decisions based upon that truth.

8 comments:

Brownie said...

Very well said. I did call my congressman this morning and left a message (no one answered the phone) to vote NO to Obamacare.

I just saw a brief news item on the TV (before it was overtaken by cartoons) of a woman who has a weight goal for herself of 1000 lbs. I thought - gee how much does she weigh now? Nooo.... Her goal was to GAIN that weight. So - who's going to pay the medical bill on that mess? Obviously she's not working since she can't even walk 20 feet.

I need to go find a link to that so people aren't thinking I'm making it up.

Oh! I don't think this coming healthcare thing is a good idea, in fact it's scary... scary for you and your family, scary for others that have good care now and might not have it later.

I guess my hubby might be one that will lose care - I mean why keep paying for anti rejection meds for a 54 yr old man? and what if his kidney fails? is it too bad Charlie??

arghh...

Sometimes its situations like this that make heaven seem all the sweeter :)

The Pirate Mom said...

Here, here! It scares me sometimes to think about my kids and what they will face because of poor decisions that are being made right now. God is in control....that's my mantra and my peace.

Mama Bear said...

I hear you. In a few years our Goldilocks will need a hip surgery to keep him walking for his lifetime. Will the powers that be see him as important enough or will he get less medical care because of his Autism? Who will be making these decisions? Will they see Goldilocks as important just because God made him or will he have to prove his "value" to some heartless politician? Sorry to rant, but this is a sore spot.

Kathleen said...

What a perspective you and the Boss hold with the Captain's life on the line. I say go for an early surgery. We've got to get prepared, right? Least that's what Glenn Beck is telling me everyday.

Michelle said...

As my hubby is an active duty member, we live in the socialized medical world-and it isn't pretty. Usually we can't get a same day appt for a sick child. If I want to make a checkup appt for my children, I have to wait 2-3 months.
I've had two really wonderful Christian friends who were put off and died from cancer. Both women knew something was wrong, but the reg doctor refused to believe anything was wrong, or run tests, or give them referrals to specialists. And by the way, if you do recieve such a diagnosis, you are referred to treatment at a facility that does it-even if it is states away from your family and friends that can help you out. My friend's daughter had her arm broken and the military took xrays and told her it was sprained-after hours of her crying she took her to the children's hospital and they had to do emergency surgery to put pins in her arm as it was fractured so badly. My own daughter tried climbing up the side of the crib, got her leg caught, and fell, causing a splinter fracture in her femur. The doctor told me that my other daughter was lying about what happened (she was three at the time) and that she had a viral infection in her hip. Since that was urgent care on a Friday and Monday was a holiday, it was Tuesday before we got the fracture correctly diagnosed. Thankfully, it had already started healing by then, because it was so slight.
Should I go on with the problems of socialized medicine?

TobyBo said...

as the mom of two kids with major special needs, this scares me so much I have not been able to bring myself to comment. I am praying for you and the Boss as you decide how to proceed.

Barbara said...

What now?

Unknown said...

We wait and see how this plays out in the senate and in the courts.