Is it time for a citizen boycott of health care?

[Cowpunk]

The following is a letter to the editor I just wrote. I would like to get some feedback before I send it in the the paper. I am particularly curious what people think of the idea of a national citizen boycott of non-emergency health care to support a government-backed health care option, in the case that Congress does not pass a bill that includes such an option.

Why are some health care providers siding with the insurance lobby against nonprofit government-backed health coverage? This seems very short-sighted, because insurance companies profit by denying care to the sickest people, thereby forcing massive costs onto health care providers and the taxpayers.

To insurance executives, the ideal consumer is one who is terrified of losing coverage, but also afraid to visit the doctor because of a high deductible or other concerns. It is in the insurer's best interest to limit consumer choices and keep health care costs as high as possible.

Maybe what is needed is a citizen boycott of non-emergency medical visits. Doctors would lose business, and health insurers would receive a windfall. Maybe then everyone would understand that when insurance companies win, doctors, hospitals, and their patients all lose.

Donald Kuhns
Omaha, NE

[elocs]

1. I'm assuming you will lead this boycott.

Does boycotting non-emergency medical visits also include my annual checkup that might find if something is really wrong with me? Do the non-emergency visits also include my appointment to check how my high blood pressure meds are working?

This entire boycott falls apart as millions of people consider "non-emergency" visits to the doctor to be very necessary to their lives. I still remember the "non-emergency" visit I made to the doctor before I went on vacation because I was suffering the pain and itching of you-know-what and I'm very glad I did.

Generally boycotts only have a real chance of working if they are local and focused. This type of boycott would go nowhere fast. Nice try, no cigar.

[Warpy]

2. I'm afraid that's a very silly idea

because very little choice is involved when we go see the doctor. We do so because we need to, not because we want to.

Boycotts would only work for stuff we can do without. I'm afraid those of us with chronic illness can't do without those "non emergency" visits to the doctor to get lab work ordered and an assessment made of how well the medications are controlling our symptoms.

Let me know when you want to boycott food or water or air.

[Cowpunk]

3. Hunger strikes are also very silly ideas, but they often work

Obviously there are people who can't miss a visit to the doctor, and should not participate. The point made by others would be that many people are willing to put their health at risk for a time in order to make a powerful statement that real health care reform must pass.

[Warpy]

9. Those people already are boycotting

because they can't afford care, can't afford to find out they're developing another disease process that will disqualify them from insurance coverage should they change jobs.

What people need to boycott is insurance company fees, not care.

[cabluedem]

5. what about chronically ill people with no healthcare? nt

[Warpy]

8. That's me since 1987

Paying for just enough of a specialist's attention to keep me alive has kept me artificially poor.

[cabluedem]

4. It'll never happen, ever, but one can dream. nt

[subterranean]

6. Count me in!

But since I never make non-emergency medical visits, my absence from the doctor's office would go unnoticed.
Anyway, there are plenty of doctors who do support a national healthcare program. Why would you want to hurt their business, too?

[Cowpunk]

7. There is always "colateral damage" from a boycott

I think you exposed the major flaw in this admittedly half-baked idea-that people who need health care reform the most are the ones least likely to participate. I think however that many people could be convinced to put off their visits briefly as a show of solidarity with those people.

I'm talking about something akin to "Bike To Work Week". If you ask people to avoid doctors' visits during a certain week a month or two in the future, then people will have time to work around it. The most anyone would have to do is call their doctor and say "I can't make it that week, let's reschedule".

It would be more of a symbolic gesture than anything that would actually damage a doctor's bottom line.