Comments on: Hospital Attempts Deportation of Woman With Inadequate Insurance http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:27:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: SunlessNick http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5033 SunlessNick Wed, 21 May 2008 10:52:05 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5033 <em>This is a Catholic hospital trying to deport a LEGAL IMMIGRANT</em> It won't be long before that bit gets brushed out of the narrative. This is a Catholic hospital trying to deport a LEGAL IMMIGRANT

It won’t be long before that bit gets brushed out of the narrative.

]]> By: sara http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5030 sara Wed, 21 May 2008 05:42:29 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5030 Just another word about hospitals. As the law stands right now, they are under no obligation to hold patients until all their medical problems are cleared, they simply have to hold them until they are deemed "medically stable." Whether thats right or wrong, I'll leave for another debate but I do think that its an important factor to know about. Take dialysis again for example. Say a patient comes in with new diagnosis of renal failure. The hospital is obligated to provide the first couple of dialysis treatments to get the urea and other toxins filtered out of the bloodstream so it doesnt kill the patient immediately. HOWEVER, the hospital is NOT under any obligation to provide long term dialysis services, which is what that patient will need. Without dialysis 2-3X per week, they will die but the hospital is technically off the hook. Just another word about hospitals. As the law stands right now, they are under no obligation to hold patients until all their medical problems are cleared, they simply have to hold them until they are deemed “medically stable.”

Whether thats right or wrong, I’ll leave for another debate but I do think that its an important factor to know about.

Take dialysis again for example. Say a patient comes in with new diagnosis of renal failure. The hospital is obligated to provide the first couple of dialysis treatments to get the urea and other toxins filtered out of the bloodstream so it doesnt kill the patient immediately. HOWEVER, the hospital is NOT under any obligation to provide long term dialysis services, which is what that patient will need. Without dialysis 2-3X per week, they will die but the hospital is technically off the hook.

]]> By: ouyangdan http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5019 ouyangdan Tue, 20 May 2008 20:29:12 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5019 well, sara, prepare to be shocked, b/c the article, and the parts of it that Cara quoted specifically say that the Honduras hospital has agreed to take her, but they "can't provide the care she needs" and "have no dialysis facilities". i also don't think anyone here said you can't get medical care in Mexico. there most certainly is very good medical care available. (no longer @ sara) this is appalling. even if the hippocraic oath doesn't apply to policy, there is no way that moving a patient in the condition that this woman is in is ethical in any way, nor in the best interest of the patient. once a doctor/patient relationship has been established the hospital can not just back out and doom this woman for her inability to pay. this conversation would not even be happening if she were white, i am sure. but she is a WOC so her needs and best interest can be swept aside easily, right? it's her fault she is in this situation, not enough insurance, an immigrant, and this isn't her first child. wow, she is just pure evil all over. *headdesk* i don't know if there are any Wells Fargo banks around her, but i sure as fuck am going to look. well, sara, prepare to be shocked, b/c the article, and the parts of it that Cara quoted specifically say that the Honduras hospital has agreed to take her, but they “can’t provide the care she needs” and “have no dialysis facilities”. i also don’t think anyone here said you can’t get medical care in Mexico. there most certainly is very good medical care available.

(no longer @ sara)

this is appalling. even if the hippocraic oath doesn’t apply to policy, there is no way that moving a patient in the condition that this woman is in is ethical in any way, nor in the best interest of the patient. once a doctor/patient relationship has been established the hospital can not just back out and doom this woman for her inability to pay.

this conversation would not even be happening if she were white, i am sure. but she is a WOC so her needs and best interest can be swept aside easily, right? it’s her fault she is in this situation, not enough insurance, an immigrant, and this isn’t her first child. wow, she is just pure evil all over. *headdesk*

i don’t know if there are any Wells Fargo banks around her, but i sure as fuck am going to look.

]]> By: sara http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5010 sara Tue, 20 May 2008 06:29:13 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5010 The hippocratic oath applies only to doctors, not policy-based hospital decisions. The only oath they take is to their CEO and shareholders. BTW, the original oath forbade abortion and surgery. I dont think you really want the original oath in play here. As an aside, I dont know specifically about Honduras, but I'd be shocked if they dont have any dialysis facilities. Its a pretty common commodity, even in 3rd world nations. I know Mexico definitely has nationalized dialysis facilities, paid for by the government. Mexico has "universal" socialized medicine, so its really not correct to say that if you send somebody to Mexico that they cant get medical care. That being said, it is outrageous for a hospital to have a policy of deporting patients. The hippocratic oath applies only to doctors, not policy-based hospital decisions. The only oath they take is to their CEO and shareholders.

BTW, the original oath forbade abortion and surgery. I dont think you really want the original oath in play here.

As an aside, I dont know specifically about Honduras, but I’d be shocked if they dont have any dialysis facilities. Its a pretty common commodity, even in 3rd world nations.

I know Mexico definitely has nationalized dialysis facilities, paid for by the government. Mexico has “universal” socialized medicine, so its really not correct to say that if you send somebody to Mexico that they cant get medical care.

That being said, it is outrageous for a hospital to have a policy of deporting patients.

]]> By: Renee http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5008 Renee Tue, 20 May 2008 02:43:05 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5008 I wish I could say that I am surprised. This is exactly what happens when basic life needs are commodified. Within a capitalist mode of exchange people are not valued only profit is. Her status resisdency status is irrelevant because irregardless without the ability to pay the hospital would still be searching for a way to absolve itself of responsibility for her care. Her race allows them to prey upon the sytemic racism and xenophobia that is rampant in society today. Race in this case is simply a tool used to mitigate social responsibility. I wish I could say that I am surprised. This is exactly what happens when basic life needs are commodified. Within a capitalist mode of exchange people are not valued only profit is. Her status resisdency status is irrelevant because irregardless without the ability to pay the hospital would still be searching for a way to absolve itself of responsibility for her care. Her race allows them to prey upon the sytemic racism and xenophobia that is rampant in society today. Race in this case is simply a tool used to mitigate social responsibility.

]]> By: Jenny Dreadful http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5006 Jenny Dreadful Mon, 19 May 2008 23:51:56 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5006 This whole thing kind of lays bare the fallacy of the whole "loving babies" excuse for being anti-choice. This is a Catholic hospital trying to deport a LEGAL IMMIGRANT who just gave birth. There's nothing that says "I love children!" like condemning a mother of six to a likely death because of her inability to pay. That's right neighborly of them, that. This whole thing kind of lays bare the fallacy of the whole “loving babies” excuse for being anti-choice. This is a Catholic hospital trying to deport a LEGAL IMMIGRANT who just gave birth. There’s nothing that says “I love children!” like condemning a mother of six to a likely death because of her inability to pay. That’s right neighborly of them, that.

]]> By: patrick http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5004 patrick Mon, 19 May 2008 22:55:02 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5004 Wow, that is just...I think I'm gonna be sick. Have American hospitals forgotten their Hippocratic oath? Pardon me for parroting you Anna. Kind makes socialized health care look worthwhile doesn't it. How long can the Republican narrative about individual choice and responsibility stand up in the face of what Cara absolutely correctly identifies as violence (pre-meditated murder if this woman dies). Wow, that is just…I think I’m gonna be sick. Have American hospitals forgotten their Hippocratic oath? Pardon me for parroting you Anna. Kind makes socialized health care look worthwhile doesn’t it. How long can the Republican narrative about individual choice and responsibility stand up in the face of what Cara absolutely correctly identifies as violence (pre-meditated murder if this woman dies).

]]> By: Anna http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5002 Anna Mon, 19 May 2008 20:48:29 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5002 I am absolutely, utterly appalled BUT I AM NOT SURPRISED!! I am sick to death of the cheap-minded, cruel American approach to health care. Sick to death of it. How dare we make human survival & compassion for others a matter of PROFIT. This hospital's behavior is inexcusable - what happened to the hypocratic oath - do no harm? We need socialized medicine now - it is the only way to regain our humanity & to overcome our selfishness. I have loved ones living without health insurance who are treated so poorly, who have to make medical decisions based on cost not their well-being. I am sick of it. I am absolutely, utterly appalled BUT I AM NOT SURPRISED!! I am sick to death of the cheap-minded, cruel American approach to health care. Sick to death of it. How dare we make human survival & compassion for others a matter of PROFIT.

This hospital’s behavior is inexcusable – what happened to the hypocratic oath – do no harm?

We need socialized medicine now – it is the only way to regain our humanity & to overcome our selfishness. I have loved ones living without health insurance who are treated so poorly, who have to make medical decisions based on cost not their well-being.

I am sick of it.

]]> By: Wendy http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5001 Wendy Mon, 19 May 2008 20:27:58 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5001 This kind of stuff makes me furious - I work in the medical field as a Physical Therapist. I currently work primarily with adults with developmental delay and find myself in a position of advocacy ALL THE TIME because of discrimination and denying medical care to these under-insured individuals who are not able to advocate for themselves. I have never understood why hospitals in the US are FOR PROFIT. I believe basic healthcare should be available to ALL PEOPLE, whether they once lived in Honduras or anywhere else - and talking about deporting them because their insurance doesn't cover long-term care is just downright inhumane. You said it was equal to violence to send her where there is no dialysis...I'll go one step further - it is murder. She will die without dialysis if she is in kidney failure - who makes these decisions? Someone with no compassion, no heart, no empathy... This kind of stuff makes me furious – I work in the medical field as a Physical Therapist. I currently work primarily with adults with developmental delay and find myself in a position of advocacy ALL THE TIME because of discrimination and denying medical care to these under-insured individuals who are not able to advocate for themselves. I have never understood why hospitals in the US are FOR PROFIT. I believe basic healthcare should be available to ALL PEOPLE, whether they once lived in Honduras or anywhere else – and talking about deporting them because their insurance doesn’t cover long-term care is just downright inhumane. You said it was equal to violence to send her where there is no dialysis…I’ll go one step further – it is murder. She will die without dialysis if she is in kidney failure – who makes these decisions? Someone with no compassion, no heart, no empathy…

]]> By: Jenny Dreadful http://thecurvature.com/2008/05/19/hospital-attempts-deportation-of-woman-with-inadequate-insurance/#comment-5000 Jenny Dreadful Mon, 19 May 2008 18:40:55 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/?p=734#comment-5000 You are wonderful, Cara. Thanks for highlighting this issue. I'll add the link to the fund to my post. Thanks again. You are wonderful, Cara. Thanks for highlighting this issue. I’ll add the link to the fund to my post. Thanks again.

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