Healthcare Reform: Medical Equipment and End of Life Care
Healthcare Reform: A Discussion on Medical Equipment and End-of-Life Care
The following is a part of a discussion that occurred on Mixx.com between two Mixxers, FatLester (FatLester.com) and cGt2099 (The-Trukstop.com) regarding Healthcare Reform, and specifically interpretations of End-of-Life provisions and their effects on the Durable Medical Equipment industry.
My response to his comment was too long to include in an already gargantuan threat, so I decided to post it here instead, and simply place a link to the Mixx submission for this post where the excessively long comment would have otherwise gone.
Story Link: http://www.mixx.com/videos/6883899/obamacare_old_people_got_no_reason_to_live
The following is the comment by cGt2099 that I am writing this post in response to:
COMMENT: cGt2099
@FatLester
That's your interpretation of an end-of-life care decision you have no understanding or comprehension of. End-of-life care doesn't only refer to the elderly, but to those with terminal illnesses as well.For example, my mother died from cancer a few years back. She was given an option of surgery (with very little chance of success), further chemotherapy (also with little chance), or hospice care with pain management.
She chose the hospice care. Her choice. She went out with grace and on her own choice.
You're making assumptions about those who are facing the end of their life.
COMMENT: FatLester
@cGt2099
This has been my family business for 25 years. I have well over a decade of professional experience in the healthcare field myself. I am well educated on this issue. As well as anyone else, including the so-called "experts".
Your assertion that I have no understanding of comprehension of the issue is based solely upon unfounded and baseless assumptions about my knowledge, experience and expertise in the subject.
My father has owned a company whose services include: Home Health Care, Skilled Nursing, Durable Medical Equipment, Physical/Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Speech Therapy, Oxygen, Infusion Pharmacy, Diabetic Care, Cutting-Edge Wound Care and too many others to name. I spent over a decade working in various capacities withing that company.
My Mother is a Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educator, Certified Specialist in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and one of the nation's most renowned health columnists. I manage her website and read (and edit) all of her articles. The newspaper that also prints her colums edits them, but they're edits are unrelated to my publishings of the material.
Her awards include:
- Sophisticated Woman Magazine's January 2008 "Enterprising Woman"
- Pam named to Louisiana Governor-elect Bobby Jindal's Healthcare Transition Team
- 2002 AANP Nurse Practitioner of the Year
- 2001 Business Professional Woman of the Year
- Sophisticated Woman Magazine's April 2006 "Enterprising Woman"
Both of my parents serve on healthcare advisory boards to which they were appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal.
ON JINDAL (FROM WIKIPEDIA):
"In 1996 Foster appointed Jindal to be secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, an agency that then represented about 40 percent of the state budget. During his tenure as secretary, Louisiana's Medicaid program went from bankruptcy with a $400 million deficit into three years of surpluses totaling $220 million."
"In 1998, Jindal was appointed executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, a 17-member panel charged with devising plans to reform Medicare."
"In March 2001 Bobby Jindal was nominated by President George W. Bush to be Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation.[21] He was later unanimously confirmed by a vote of the United States Senate and began serving on July 9, 2001. In that position, he served as the principal policy advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.[22] He resigned from that post on February 21, 2003, to return to Louisiana and run for governor.[23]"
Also, for what it's worth. Both of my parents met the Governor through me.
The point is, if anyone is legitimately well-informed on this subject it's me, and your claim that I am ignorant on the subject or lack understanding is pure poppycock.
I respect your right to disagree. But to call me ignorant about the issue is as far from the truth as possible, and only discredits your own arguments.
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Tags: Government, Healthcare, Medical Equipment
