What do you think? Doctor refuses to treat Obama voters
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AC360°
A Florida urologist who disagrees with the national health-care overhaul posted a sign on his office door telling patients who voted for President Barack Obama to seek care "elsewhere."
Dr. Jack Cassell, 56, is a registered Republican and opposes the health care plan.
The sign he posted reads:
The sign reads: "If you voted for Obama … seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years."
Dr. Cassell will be on to discuss his actions with Anderson tonight.
Do you think it was ethical for him to post the sign? Let us know below!
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Good for him! Most doctors are going to be negatively affected by the legislation and he is one of the very few who has voiced his opinion. This is a preview of coming attractions!
Perhaps the doctor is upset about the increased efforts to curb medicare fraud. He sure isn't articulating any other actual reasons...
Ethical? Certainly NO. Remotely reasonable relative to his Hypocratic oath? Certainly NO.
Whether he remembers or understands his Medical Doctors code of ethics/oath, is irrelevant, ignorance is no excuse.
Politically driven, absolutely... and it's irrelevant whether he personally is Independent, Democrat or Republican,for me.
He is a disgrace to his profession and should have his license removed for at least 5 years. He needs to show me and others he is a Doctor who will treat my Urologic disease to the best of his skill irrespective of my race, creed, color, religion, and especially my political affiliation.
I have stood by the following in terms of person in all my life:-
1) Ask my Religion, answer none of your business even if it means I don't get the job or whatever.
2) What are your political views and especially which party did you vote for? Answer go away mind your own business even if this urologist thinks I have to tell him or not.
3) I will answer what is your current legal nationality, but will not answer ethnic origin questions, color of skin, or questions other than nationality of my parents
All else is between me and my conscience, especially my Doc!!
Regards,
Hodgson.
re: Do you think it was ethical for him to post the sign?
He is not refusing care he is simply telling people to go elsewhere based on his or her vote. If he actually refused care based on political affiliation it would be tacky at best and borderline in terms of ethics. But then again the medical community is not known for its commitment to ethical practice but rather its reverence of the almighty dollar.
The sign doesn't say that he will not treat people if they voted for Obama ...it says that he would rather they do not come in...in my opinion.
Maybe he should have said that if you voted for Obama then you you can get care at the ER
or maybe he should post a sign that says...
"You must to pay for services ( pre-authorized insurance benefit , cash or pre-charged credit card) prior to treatment" or go to the ER... oh yes, that's right-Doctors do that already...
people love to say that they should have insurance as a benefit but are not willing to PAY for it...and then they have more kids... and then do not want to pay for them either so they get "state aid" for food and lodging...
Dr. Cassell has a right to speak his mind...we do live in a free country! The new health care laws are opposed by the majority of Americans, yet we have been rendered powerless to keep our elected officials from voting for them. That's frightening!
Congressman Grayson should be ashamed of himself for trying to make this a racial issue.
The doctor has the right to express himself. If he, which he does, disagree with the current administration then he should be able to broadcast that opinion in anyway he deems fit.
If this doctor is subjected to political pressures becuase of his opinion then we are in serious jeapordy as a nation.
Dr. Cassell has only represented his opinion and has not denied to treat any patient. He even admitted on your show that he doesn't know the political views of the patients he treats and is unaware of any patients that decided not to enter his practice.
The suggestion of a witchhunt is a very scary insinuation indeed.
It is, without a doubt, ethical. Just as attorneys choose who to represent, doctors are allowed to choose who they treat. Obama chose who to include in this new healthcare bill. Dr. Cassell is simply coming out and trying to make a statement about which direction he believes U.S.A. is headed in right now.
Like any business, the right to refuse services is all fair game.
Clearly in emergency the treatment should not be denied. However if it is not an emergency let the Business owner/ Doctor make his own choices.
This is why we needed health care reform. Even some physicians are unable to put patients before profits. Insurance companies, drug manufacturers and now physicians are oftentimes motivated by greed first. Reform is our only option.
I as well oppose of the Obamacare since I now have to pay for other people besides my self. The sign should of said no Obamacare voters allowed..
The florida urologist who discourage his patients for his visit is absolutely right and has the right to voice his opinion and freedom of speech and freedom of commerce by denying his services based on someone's political view.
This doctor has gone too far with politics. Healthcare should never be based on politics. This doctor should be purnished for discrimination.
i am at a loss for words except to say that this man is no doctor and if I needed help either as a republican or democrat I would not go to him.
If that is his choice then i certainly hope that medicaid/medicare/veteran benefits inform him that he will not receive payment for his services a AND that he needs to reimburse them ASAP!
This doctor has clearly violated the Hypocratic Oath and should not be allowed to practice medicine. To be refused medical care because of one's political views is way, way over the top.
Apparently Dr. Cassell feels that he is able to enact law (health care law, in this case) prior to that law actually going into effect upon a select group (discriminating against non-Obama voters, for that matter). Hipprocratic oath says a doctor shall not play God. Not sure who else might have the right to do this.
Just when we thought things couldn't get more insane. Thanks for sharing, now we know they can.
We realize that almost all our Senators and Representatives have overthrown their oath, to "serve" the voters, good to know the doctors are, too.
Yep, insane.
Or are they all just over-aged children who have to have everything their own way? My kids made better choices.
Don't know where he is in Florida but I think every patient should boycott him – not because of his political beliefs but because he apparently did not take the hippocratic oath seriously enough. Without ANY practice I suppose maybe he wouldn't have any healthcare either. What poetic justice. AMA needs to take a long, hard look at this guy.
Apparenty this guy feels he can cherry-pick patients through his Hippocratic Oath..
His book, Better Living Through Urology, has an interesting review on Amazon.
I think that when he refuses a qualified patient, he won't have to worry about posting signs. There won't be a practice left after the attorneys are finished.
He can't do that it's discrimination.
This is disgusting. You took the an Oath, you don't let your political views get in the way of treating patients!
I think he should have his medical license taken away!
Deplorable. He's a doctor. He took an oath to help sick people.
It should not matter to him that folks voted for a certain President.
They should remove his license.
If lawyers can refuse clients, physicians should be allowed to refuse patients (assuming not emergent).