2/1/10

Health Reform?


Pictured above is a young physician by the name of Dr. Starner Jones. His short two-paragraph letter to   the White House accurately puts the blame on a   "Culture  Crisis" insteadof a "Health Care Crisis".  It's worth a   quick read:


Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had   the   pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
        While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that   her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.
        And, you and our Congress expect  me to pay for this woman's health care?  I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is  not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or  nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis   of culture",  a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on  luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance.  It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".
        Once you fix this  "culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.
        Respectfully,
        STARNER JONES,  MD

22 comments:

Lin said...

AMEN, Dr. Jones, AMEN!!!!

Oh, I see it too often around here. Cut them off, I say.

Lee said...

Now, that is is awesome!!

Jen said...

Amen!

Anonymous said...

Actually that appears to be 4 paragraphs but I totally agree - and then some

Me-Me King said...

Now, that's what I'm talkin' about - Amen!

Sheila Sultani said...

Yea! Someone who is not afraid to speak the truth. But this isn't just the patients who scam the medicaid program but there are a lot of Drs who order a lot of unnecessary procedures and inflate prices - the medicaid system DOES NOT Work!

Sandee said...

This guy is right on the money. I love it. Many of us get this.

Have a terrific day. :)

Ann said...

Couldn't agree with him more.

Liz Mays said...

Well said, Dr. Jones!!!

Len said...

Dr. Jones should already know this, given that he works in an emergency room and all. (His letter calls this into question, however.)

He is already paying for this lady's health care. Who does he think is paying for Medicaid? It ain't the tooth fairy, "Doctor."

Under our President's health care plan, at least this lady would be required to carry some form of health insurance. She would be required to pay for at least some of it. As things stand right now, she isn't paying for anything. When she's not feeling well, she just trots off to the emergency room and you and I and the good "Doctor" foot the bill.

Doctor Starner Jones needs to pay a visit to the billing department of the hospital in which he supposedly works. He might be amazed at what he learns.

The Kano said...

The doctor is absolutely right!It is a "culture crisis." How sad!

Lynne said...

and that's the shameful truth!

BeadedTail said...

If only we can get more people, like Dr Jones, to stand up and voice the concerns of many.

deejay said...

american way of life concern much of pleasure, convenience than discipline. not so much here in the philippines.

RNSANE said...

As an RN for 45 years, primarily in county hospitals and for the indigent poor, I have to applaud Dr. Jones' letter. Too many people who can work or help themselves to some extent, do not choose to do so.

Unknown said...

He must work in my ER. Excessive abuse of Medicaid makes me physically ill. I couldn't agree with this guy more. I get sick of nursing my sick child at home (thank God I am a nurse) while folks like this come to the ER for toothaches, sore throats, headaches...it's unreal. I fault the recipients but I fault health care facilities as well. At what point to you say HEY THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY...IF YOU WANT TO BE TREATED YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY IN C-A-S-H.

This eye opener would cut down on abuse as well. So, until the culture crisis and greedy hospitals stop milking the system...we're all losers

Jen said...

Don't even get me started...This stuff infuriates me on a regular basis, as does the line at the grocery store. Nothing quite like standing in line with a fistful of coupons, Joe's Generic everything, and a prayer I have enough money to pay for it all while watching the 20 year old with 3 kids (who are, of course, completely out of control) in front of me buy shrimp, lobster tails and primo steak (and let's not forget the ground beef for the dog) and then pay for it all with food stamps. And yes, that really happened and I am sure it will be counted (among other contributing factors) as part of my motivation to become positively crotchety in my dotage...

The Bee said...

At least Len has some sense.
God job passing on propaganda mother.

CastoCreations said...

AMEN!!!!!!! And Praise the Lord. SO true!

The radio had some piece today that talked about how so many people are in need of food (as evaluated by the number of people going to food banks) and yet I see so many people using welfare / food stamps who have fancy cell phones. And how many of those people also have cable, and consider it a necessity?

It's pathetic. And yet they want to raise my taxes. *sigh*

Jude said...

As stated above many doctors also pad their bills through medicaid and medicare. It's a real shame that many that do need help can't get it same as the welfare system. I've seen so many people paying for food with food stamps or I guess Access cards now and they drive fancy cars and are talking on there IPhone which I can't even afford.

Mommy Kennedy said...

Thanks for linking up last week! This week's linky is now ready:
http://thefrugalkennedys.blogspot.com/search/label/Wordless%20Wednesday

Kara @ His, Hers and Ours said...

Kudos to Dr. Jones! I wish more would speak up, and our president take notice. But, I don't see that happening in my lifetime...