Consumer Issues: April 2005 Archives

Tomorrow, the House will vote on a Bankruptcy Reform bill. I called Congressman Lamar Smith this afternoon and explained to his aide the details of why I and my family strongly urge him to vote against this bill. Bankruptcy reform is needed to get at the fraudulent abuse of the system. The bill proposed however, will cause hardship for, and servitude to, the banks and credit card companies by hard working, honest Americans who due either to large medical expenses or unavoidable loss of work/significant drop in income, have come up short on paying their bills.

My sister is about to undergo surgery for lymphatic and lung cancer. She is 43. Therefore, I was drawn to two stories in the news yesterday about doctors. Political focus should also be drawn onto these two stories. They are, Medical Boards Let Physicians Practice Despite Drug Abuse and After Stealing Drugs, Doctor Goes to Rehab. It is high time to dethrone these kings life and death.

Who wants their name associated with bad mouthing doctors? Let's face it, we are all going to need one eventually. Would any of us feel secure being grudged by the medical community at a time of need for medical attention? Regardless, the royal occupation of physician has too long enjoyed the double standards of law and policy. The laws of the United States are constitutionally to apply to all persons equally. When Doctors steal drugs for their personal use and are caught and reported to the Medical review boards, it is criminal that those peer review boards would respond by telling the thief they must enter rehabilitation to avoid other penalties.