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J. R. Bruman writes: > from an articulate group such as this one. Seen none so > far: what's wrong, too hot to handle? There has already been a response (but not here). An executive of the trade organization for HMO's wrote a letter to the editor of the LA Times panning Mitchell's piece, and I have responded to it: -------------------------------------------------------------- February 21, 1998 Letters to the Editor Los Angeles Times Times Mirror Square Los Angeles, California 90053 Editor: I have read, with interest, the exchange between Laura Remson Mitchell and Myra Snyder on the issue of the possible impact of physician-assisted suicide laws on health care through managed care organizations. It is easy to understand the viewpoints of the authors, since one (Mitchell) is a person who suffers from chronic illness, and the other (Snyder) works for profit-making HMO's. Space does not permit a full response to Ms. Snyder's letter, but I would like to merely address her reference to the law which requires coverage of "any medically necessary drug" by an HMO. The term, "medically necessary" is an elusive one, as, in the past, such "necessity" has been determined not by the patient's physician, but by some employee of the HMO, often not a physician or even a paramedical individual. Even when there is obvious evidence that an HMO has denied medically indicated care, these companies are protected under laws which limit recovery of losses by the patients to the cost of the services, not compensation for pain, lost wages; and, in some cases, even death. So, when Ms. Snyder invokes "the law which protects", let us remember that the beneficiaries of this "protection" are, in the main, the insurance companies themselves, and not the patients who depend on them. Very truly yours, Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S. Neurological Surgery, Berkeley, California ---------------------------------------------------------------- I rather doubt that the Times will publish it, but I suspect that there will be some heat and light over Mitchell's piece. Best, Bob *********************************** ROBERT A. FINK, M. D., F.A.C.S. Neurological Surgery 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 Berkeley, CA 94704-2636 USA Phone: (510) 849-2555 FAX: (510) 849-2557 WWW: <http://www.dovecom.com/rafink/> mailto:[log in to unmask] "Ex Tristitia Virtus" ***********************************