Is There A Doctor In The House?

T

hose of us who were fortunate enough to avoid the swine flu or so-called pandemic several months ago, may have another opportunity this autumn. Reports are that another strain of the dreaded flu will emerge and the drums of fear and persuasion are already beating—fear that thousands of people may die and persuasion that everyone should take advantage of the vaccine being prepared and sign up for the inoculations. But here’s the rub:  If you don’t become ill from the swine flu, you no doubt will get sick just reading and trying to understand the proposed National Health Care Bill. However, don’t worry about reading it in its entirety, because neither President Obama nor Congressman John Conyers have read it or understand it. In fact, Conyers stated it eloquently during a recent luncheon speech at the National Press Club when he said, “What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?”

I'm all for improving the quality and the availability of health care. But the government wants us to wholeheartedly support legislation but, when, apparently, no one has taken the time to absorb its content. Some of the provisions though in the plan have seen the light of day and frankly, after reading just a few, I have already taken ill. Here are just a few tidbits that have given me intestinal discomfort.

Keep in mind these are interpretations from those who claim to have staggered through the thousand plus pages.  Some call these claims untrue and propaganda, but without a definitive answer to the myriad of questions being posed by concerned Americans, who is to say these concerns are unwarranted? If neither you nor  I, nor many of our representatives, have read through and understood the 1,000-page document, how do we know what is true and what isn't? Here we go:  

• Illegal aliens will be eligible for health care. We are a generous and caring nation but somehow I don’t want my tax dollars paying for people who have never paid into the system.
• The controversial organization Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) will be paid for referring the uninsured to the new national health care plan. Just what we need—a finder’s fee for bringing in your “tired, your poor, your sick and your injured.” The AARP is supporting this legislation too. One can only wonder what special incentives that organization is receiving for doing so. Am I a skeptic? You bet.
• Medical schools will be given additional funding and attention for instituting more widespread affirmative action goals.
• Doctors’ services will be monitored closely so that second opinions and additional tests will be discouraged. It's almost like rationing out services—the government will decide what treatments one receives.
• And the coup de grace. According to some interpretations of the bill, senior citizens will be required to attend End of Life Conferences. I wonder what constitutes a passing grade at these macabre events? Sounds like a new career move for Jack Kevorkian!

There seems to be a consensus from the medical profession that changes in health care are needed but the proposal that is on the table is untenable, confusing, and makes a mockery of all the good that is going on currently in health care in this country. Let me give you just one example:

Over a year ago, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. My PSA had risen by a point and my doctor suggested a biopsy. I had three biopsies and the cancer was confirmed. Since this is a life-changing event, I decided for another series of biopsies from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. There, the physicians performed 12 biopsies, which again confirmed the original diagnosis. Over the course of the next four months, I contacted numerous physicians and hospitals to discuss my options, finally opting for robotic surgery at Henry Ford Hospital. The operation was a success and I am cancer free.

Now here is my point: I had the luxury of being able to have additional testing and the ability to discuss the situation with a series of professionals in the field. I wonder if under the proposed health care legislation I would have that option. I don't think so.

Secondly, while preparing for and undergoing this procedure I met people from Japan, London, China, Portugal, and of course Canada (socialized medicine as you know) who came to Henry Ford Hospital because they discovered through exhaustive research that the best program for this type of surgery was headquartered here. If our system of health care is so flawed, as we are led to believe, why are people coming from all over the world to be treated?

So there you have it. Our system may have some glitches and may need some revamping but the proposal currently on the table needs resuscitation. Moreover, there may not be enough defibrillators or people of sound mind and judgment available to do just that.

Perhaps my comments will run contrary to what some of you want and expect from a health care bill, but let’s do this:  before our astute politicians vote this into existence, how about we all take the time to read it thoroughly (even John Conyers and the President) and lay out all the provisions so that we can understand it. Changes, of course, will have to be made because as it is now, a majority of Americans have rejected it.

Let’s hope that after all is said and done and when those critical words, “Is there a doctor in the house?” are uttered, they won’t be met by silence.

Some will conclude that I have acted “stupidly” in my rendition of the bill, but if it gets me an invitation to the White House for a beer, so be it.  On the other hand, if an invite arrives, I hope it doesn’t conflict with my End of Life Conference!

About The Author

Bill Kalmar

William J. Kalmar has extensive business experience, including service with a Fortune 500 bank and the Michigan Quality Council, of which he served as director from 1993 through 2003 making it one of the foremost state quality award programs in the nation. He has been a member of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Board of Overseers and a Baldrige examiner. He’s also been named quality professional of the year by the ASQ’s Detroit chapter. Now semiretired, he’s a freelance writer for the Detroit News, the Oakland Press, Crain’s Detroit Business and several other national publications. He writes a weekly column for The Grosse Pointe News and a Midwest newspaper entitled Frank Talk. He is a member of the USA Today Vacation Panel, is a mystery shopper for several companies, and a frequent presenter and lecturer. Kalmar also does radio voice-overs, is an accomplished runner and marathoner and competes in duathlons.