A doctor who considers the national health-care overhaul to be bad medicine for the country posted a sign on his office door telling patients who voted for President Barack Obama to seek care "elsewhere."
"I'm not turning anybody away — that would be unethical," Dr. Jack Cassell, 56, a Mount Dora urologist and a registered Republican opposed to the health plan, told the Orlando Sentinel on Thursday. "But if they read the sign and turn the other way, so be it."
The sign reads: "If you voted for Obama … seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years."
Estella Chatman, 67, of Eustis, whose daughter snapped a photo of the typewritten sign, sent the picture to U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, the Orlando Democrat who riled Republicans last year when he characterized the GOP's idea of health care as, "If you get sick, America … Die quickly."
Chatman said she heard about the sign from a friend referred to Cassell after his physician recently died. She said her friend did not want to speak to a reporter but was dismayed by Cassell's sign.
"He's going to find another doctor," she said.
Cassell may be walking a thin line between his right to free speech and his professional obligation, said William Allen, professor of bioethics, law and medical professionalism at the University of Florida's College of Medicine.
Allen said doctors cannot refuse patients on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability, but political preference is not one of the legally protected categories specified in civil-rights law. By insisting he does not quiz his patients about their politics and has not turned away patients based on their vote, the doctor is "trying to hold onto the nub of his ethical obligation," Allen said.
10 comments:
I saw this Dr on Neil Cavuto today; and he will not turn away anyone, but is seeking to inform them of the Obamacare timeline, will give them a 2 page draft timeline, and explain some loss of benefits many of us will have. slf
He's making a point and I think it's great . In the future we might not have this option .
Every business should do this !
It is great that this Doctor still has the right to express his views.
Soon when the Dumbocrats get their way, even free speech will be stopped.
Time to re-post these signs will be before the next primary and general elections! Businesses can post how much employee wages will go down as well. 18% of minimum wage is a lot less than 18% of $25.00 an hour!
thank you doctor for standing up to this obama mess. i have already stopped seeing new medicare patients and have never seen medicaid patients.
look for more of this to come
yeah its time Doctors went back to exchanging services for a basket of veggies or a chicken or duck
Thanks, 6:56P.M. What about the Hypocratic oath? Does it say only heal those with similar political views?
7:31 He has not turned anyone away he just let his view be Known and I would to if I had a business and the government came in and took over and set wages and level of care . Did the government take the Hippocratic oath ?
This Doctor does not deserve to be a doctor. If I saw that On my doctors door I'd probably rip it off and shit on the door and then go seek a doctor who actually cares about his patients rather than be political.
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