Mammogram + Pap Test = Tort Reform Fun!

[Bunny]

My annual exams went well yesterday, unless you count the doctor being 45 minutes late for my appointment.

And no, the actual exams were not gratifying in any way :)!

However, during the whole experience, I was deluged with signs and brochures urging me to contact my senators to pass tort reform. There were signs and brochures in the waiting room, in the mammo room, and in the exam room. And the doctor not only gave me the whole spiel on tort reform, along with a brochure, he also reprimanded the nurse because she failed to tell me that I should take a brochure and call my senators!

Now, I don't know how I feel about tort reform, but the hard sell was a bit much. I mean, how do you tell the guy No, when you've got your feet in the stirrups and his hand is up your hoo-hoo? Really strange experience.

I took the brochure but will not call my senators. I think that there may be some benefit to tort reform, but I won't endorse any Republican-sponsored bill.

[GOPisEvil]

1. I asked last night...

...if it was good for you! ;-)

I hate being pressured for ANYTHING by my doctor, especially something political. I know these folks are getting hosed on their premiums, but the proposed "reforms" are just a way for insurance companies to make more money, and screw victims.

Talking tort reform DURING the exam? That's not very professional in my opinion. At that point you are a captive audience.

[Bunny]

2. "Captive" is exactly right.

Where was I gonna go? I'm wearing the gown (open in the front), my feet are in the stirrups, and his hand is someplace where no man has gone lately. How do you respond?

And I thought that reprimanding the nurse in front of me was unprofessional too. Even though it was a very mild reprimand, he could have done it privately. He also told me that unless there was tort reform, this nurse's job was in danger!

I only went to the guy because I knew he would give me the hysterectomy I desperately wanted, and he did do that, but it may be time to change to someone else.

[GOPisEvil]

8. WHAT?!

That poor nurse! I hate being used, and I would have been uncomforatble for that nurse!

I'm thinking it's time to find another doc...

[DrGonzoLives]

3. Doctors want tort reform

so that they can't be sued as much for malpractice.

Hey, you know what? Give 'em that, then change the law to call malpractice either assault or murder. I'm sure they need doctors amongst the prison population.

[liberalhistorian]

4. I noticed that hard sell in both my primary

physician's office and my OB-GYN's office as well, and told both offices where they could stuff it and what they could do with it after they stuffed it, because it is, frankly, a non-issue! I'm a paralegal and I know that this whole issue is total bullshit!

Along with the damned endless signs and brochures everywhere in both offices, they had signs plastered everywhere saying that the co-payment was due at the time of the visit, no exceptions, and if you didn't have the co-pay they wouldn't see you. Also, if you didn't have insurance, you would have to pay everything, up front, IN CASH! If you didn't have the cash, sorry Charlie, tough shit, you're out of luck, even if you have a severe throat infection (like one woman there) or if your child has been throwing up all night and is very hot (another family there), etc. What a contrast! And I told them exactly what I thought of that inhumane bullshit as well, and that, while I sure as hell was NOT going to contact my legislators to "let them know how concerned I was about malpractice reform" (bleah, pukeballs!), I sure as hell WAS going to use my membership in the statewide single-payer universal health plan group to push as hard as I could to end such practices and make sure NO ONE was turned away for care because they didn't have enough of the precious green paper the medical profession values so much! Hoo boy, talk about seeing so-called calm, reasonable, professionals literally turn red in the face and be totally speechless! I LOVED every second of it, lol!

[supernova]

5. LOL!

how do you tell the guy No, when you've got your feet in the stirrups and his hand is up your hoo-hoo?

Thanks for the AM laugh Bunnyj! :D

I would find that a wierd experience as well. What's with the hard sell? Is there some reason in particular his premiums are out of kilter? Hmmmm... And the way he treated the nurse. That's just nasty and unprofessional.

If you no longer need followup for your hysterectomy, I'd be in the market for a different gyn.

I realize high premiums are a big issue, but what's on the table (capping awards to injured patients), isn't going to solve it. I really think insurance companies need some big time scrutiny, just like the S&Ls and Wall St got. I'd bet we'll find a lot of cockroaches scurrying for cover.

edit: Not only is capping patient awards not going to solve it, it's a very pernicious way to blame the victim. If someone is incapacitated for the rest of their life and will need care for the rest of their life, a multi-million dollar award really isn't that much.

[lastliberalintexas]

6. Take all the materials

and then call your elected representatives to let them know you are AGAINST any tort reform- it infringes on your right to a jury, eliminates your ability to be compensated if damaged, and does nothing to help the medical care "crisis" other than insulate doctors' liability for their negligence and give even more money to the insurers.

Tell them if they want to lower malpractice insurance rates, they need to pass INSURANCE reform.


BTW- Doctors typically aren't the problem, but they have bought into the insurance company rhetoric concerning the rates they are being charged. If doctors truly wanted to do something to lower med aml rates, they would either suspend or revoke the licenses of physicians who screw up. In Texas anyway, about 5% of the licensed physicians account for more than 50% of the med mal lawsuits. Yet over the past 5 years, the state Board of Medical Examiners has not issued ANY disciplinary action to doctors based on performance issues. Instead, they have slapped the wrists of a few doctors for sexual misconduct and drug incidents.

So the good doctors are in part paying high rates b/c of the bad apples that they won't do anything about. They are also paying high rates b/c the stock market took a nosedive and insurers needed to make up for that lost investment revenue.

[Mel]

7. What?

If I ever showed up at a doctors office pushing tort reform I'd leave and find another doctor.

What nerve to have you in the stirrups and talking tort reform instead of about you and your health. I say get another doctor I'd also write him a letter and tell him why if you do decide to get another doctor. I mean really what are you to do when he has you in the stirrups!? Durn that really po's me off that a doctor did this to you the funking nerve and he's not to bright either if he's allowing the republicans (insurance companies) to use him as a tool to push for tort reform.

The insurance companies invested and lost money in the stock market and they want to blame their rising costs on lawsuits/victims when a lot of their problems is due to their piss poor management of their money.

[LynneSin]

9. If we allow Carolyn Kuhl on the bench: Drug Reps will join you...

during your visits

She's on the floor now and the democrats are planning on a filibuster

Dismissing claim of egregious privacy violation: As a state court judge, Kuhl threw out of court an invasion of privacy suit brought by a woman with breast cancer whose doctor had brought a drug company salesman into the examining room where he witnessed an intimate examination of her. The California Court of Appeal unanimously reversed Judge Kuhl’s decision in the Sanchez-Scott case, holding that Kuhl was wrong on the law, that the woman had a well-established expectation of privacy, and that her complaint had alleged “highly offensive conduct.”

http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=9590