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Reply to message from [log in to unmask] of Fri, 14 Mar > >With all due respect to the HMO concept (none), I saw an interesting >cartoon today in a doctor's office. A woman is talking to a man in a >coffin, telling him she is almost finished getting a written referrel >from the HMO doctor to allow him to go to a specialist. Is that funny? I >think not, is it too close to the truth? I say yes. With all the modern >advancements in medicine, i am afraid that the HMO style of letting >businessmen administer medical treatment, or I should say administering >the PREVENTION of medical treatment, is a step back to the dark ages! >the mindset that the bottom line rules, puts medical treatment on the >same level as appliance repair. If a dishwasher breaks down after it is a >few years old, and the repairman is slow in arriving, and parts are hard >to get, the manufacturer will quickly suggest "buy a new dishwasher, this >one is hard to fix, obsolete, etc." Great, they can't fix the product and >now they get to profit from the sale of a new one! With an HMO, using >that logic "Well the patient is getting old, the disease is hard to >treat, or cure, so we'll just let him die, and we can save a lot of money >for our stockholders" I am not anti-business, or against a fair profit >for providers of medical care, I just don't think it should be a cash cow >at the expense of the patient or his/her family. In a restaurant the >person who handles the "unclean" cash, is not suppossed to handle the >food. I think the medical profesionals should not be involved with the >the finances of the institution, when they have to deny the best >treatment to save money. Remember, these are the folks that send a >mother home in less than 24 hours after giving birth! > > > >[OO] LOOKING FOR RADIOS! >Ken Becker >[log in to unmask] > > >On Fri, 14 Mar 1997, Elizabeth Leslie wrote: > >> Thanks to you all for responding on this. >> >> Ken, full marks for lateral thinking. But if ever I was faced with a >> choice that made me emphatically opt for 'improper' medication this is it. >> I did joke to Ernie recently that 'I need a wife,' but this is not quite >> what I had in mind! But it did make me chuckle. >> >> Beth >> >> >Beth, just tell him you demand a sex change operation, so you can get >> >proper medicationI If he is working for an HMO and trying to save money >> >by giving you cheaper meds, he'll have to realize the meds will cost his >> >employers much less than the surgery! (Just kidding!) >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >[OO] LOOKING FOR RADIOS! >> >Ken Becker >> >[log in to unmask] >> > >> > >> >On Thu, 13 Mar 1997, Barbara Mallut wrote: >> > >> >> Beth... I was appalled to read that you're being WITHHELD l-dopa! >> >>(Sinemet or >> >> the equivalent). This seems like an issue of _CONTROL_ to me, rather than >> >> the practice of a responsible and caring physician. >> >> >> >> Since PD is a disease which effects each individual is a somewhat different >> >> manner from every other individual having the disease, what possible >> >> difference could I take if you were a male, head of household, working to >> >> support a wife and kids, and going to lose your job because of the disease >> >> making dramatic inroads into your life?! The disease IS terrible, and >> >>you DO >> >> have it, and you're YOU... This is NOT a gender issue or an occupational >> >> issue, and your physician MUST be appraised of that!! >> >> >> >> If the MD then won't prescribe what IS the drug of choice for most >> >>people with >> >> PD then get another doctor! Even an internist or family practitioner .... >> >> heck, even a PEDIATRICIAN can prescribe you Sinemet!!! (or the equivalent) >> >> >> >> This is NOT a "gender-related" disease, its' a HUMAN-related disease. Your >> >> life IS your life. You'll NEVER be that male your MD has declared you not to >> >> be. You're going to be YOU for the rest of your life, and your physician >> >> SHOULD be treating you with the most useful drugs for YOU... the person you >> >> are, not this fantasy he THINKS should get this valuable drug! >> >> >> >> And Beth... don't you DARE trash your research project! WHEN you're on the >> >> right medication, and possibly also an anti-depressant,, you'll be raring to >> >> finish that research and to move on with your life. >> >> >> >> YOU GO GIRL!! >> >> >> >> Sending a buncha love your way.... >> >> >> >> Barb Mallut >> >> [log in to unmask] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ---------- >> >> From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Elizabeth Leslie >> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 1997 3:20 AM >> >> To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN >> >> Subject: Symmetrel >> >> >> >> I'm seeking a bit of guidance on this. I've seen the neuro today. He >> >> agrees I need treatment. He agrees l-dopa would make me fully functional. >> >> He sent me away with a script for Symmetrel! He told me it could take me 3 >> >> months to feel any benefit from it. He did agree - a touch reluctantly, >> >> perhaps even a little sheepishly - that if I were a guy with wife/family to >> >> support and at risk of losing my job he would not withhold l-dopa. (One >> >> good thing tho' - I did find out from him how/where to get my Selegiline >> >> cheaply. That's a relief.) >> >> >> >> Guess what folks? I'm not feeling so :) Getting ready to trash my research. >> >> >> >> I'd really like to hear from anyone who takes/has taken this med. And any >> >> other advice you care to fling my way will be welcome. Off-list is fine. >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Beth >> >> >>BETH, HOW DARE A DOCTOR THINK THAT IF YOU WERE A MAN ...... FIRE THE DOCTOR!!! FIND A NEW ONE. YOU DESERVE THE BEST CARE AND IF THE DOCTOR CHOOSES NOT TO WORK WITH YOU, THEN FIND ONE WHO WILL. YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING. ALSO, DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR RESEARCH. IT IS GOOD EXCERCISE FOR YOUR MIND. I HOPE I WAS NOT TOO FORWARD, BUT I DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE BEING TREATED LIKE THEY ARE NOT AN IMPORTANT PART OF SOCIETY BECAUSE OF ILLNESS, ECT. NANCY MULLEN ([log in to unmask]) > > --