Mount Dora doctor tells Obama supporters: Go elsewhere

[DemocratSinceBirth]

MOUNT DORA — 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."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-mount-dora-doctor-tells-patients-go-aw20100401,0,5593120.story

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Does anyone recall ANY instance of Democrats doing this?

I know after getting into arguments with Bush supporters that some Democratic shop owners/restaurant owners asked people to leave, but to hang a sign saying a customer/client ISN'T WELCOME because of how he/she voted...do you recall this ever happening in the Bush years?

There should be something illegal about this. Discrimination. And his little caveat of saying he's not officially "turning anybody away" is bullshit.

It's like a black person going to a physician who is a known Klan member in the 50's for care. How safe does THAT feel? Granted, you can hide the fact that you're an Obama supporter while you can't the color of your skin, but how un-American of the right-wingers to go here.

HUGE FAIL, DUMBASS JACK CASSELL!!!

:puke:

[Kolesar]

2. The outspoken Grayson described Cassell's sign as "ridiculous."

"I'm disgusted," he said. "Maybe he thinks the Hippocratic Oath says, ‘Do no good.' If this is the face of the right-wing in America, it's the face of cruelty…Why don't they change the name of the Republican Party to the Sore Loser Party."

Congressman Grayson never disappoints us. :thumbsup:

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Good for Grayson. They're sore losers indeed. n/t

[bobburgster]

4. What a jerk!

He probably did it to drum up business through free publicity.

[secondwind]

8. he's probably angry that he won't be able to "bundle" procedure codes anymore,

and that his Medicare/Medicaid patients will have someone (HCR) watching over them.....I bet he is a crook.

[Inspired]

5. I wouldn't want to go to dr. who was so vile.

In a way he did the public a favor by showing his true colors.

[old mark]

6. It would be great if all of his patients went elewhere - Fuck you,

Jack-you are not fit to be a doctor.


mark

[secondwind]

7. I swear, FL is getting weirder and weirder.......

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. I Live In The Neighboring County

Most of it is developed but there are parts of it right out of "In the Heat Of The Night".

[meeshrox]

18. Tell it! My mother lives in that county...the developed part!

When I first got my driver's license, I had to drive through all of these little towns to get to the DMV. Now, they have one in the southern part of the county, but back then...whoooo! It's more bible belt than Alabama! So scary!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. Where's Riverview?

~

[meeshrox]

33. Tampa area...

My mother lives in Clermont...

[rucky]

10. This from a person who looks at peckers all day.

all the sudden he gets choosy.

[WVRICK13]

11. Not A Problem

I wouldn't go to a doctor who is obviously so stupid. I want better care than that.

[pinboy3niner]

12. File under "Desperate for Attention"

Balloon-boy dad syndrome. Joe-the Plumber wannabe. Fantasies of being the next teabagger hero. Whatever.

[Ian David]

13. I would pee on the urologist's door. n/t

[Ian David]

14. The poll on this is getting freeped. n/t

[Riley18]

21. What poll? Orlando paper?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. I hope every patient of his who voted Obama leaves his practice.

Even in a wingnut area that will likely impact him way more than any tax increase ever would.

[tsuki]

16. This is a real concern.

"The notice on Cassell's office door could cause some patients to question his judgment or fret about the care they might receive if they don't share his political views,"

I would not go to him.

[GoCubsGo]

25. He's doing everyone a favor, actually....

It's blatantly obvious this asshole went into medicine only for the money and prestige, not because he wanted to help people. I don't care if he's the best doctor on the planet. I would not go to him, either. Not that someone who is so stupid that they turn away paying customers over political ideology is capable of being "the best doctor on the planet"...

[tsuki]

26. Prejudice is such an insidious thread that is woven in our characters.

Do you treat people differently because they are fat, smoke, blonde etc? By openly admitting his prejudice, is he admitting that he is (and has been) incapable of providing care equally to all patients?

I've a feeling that some smart attorney suing him for his net worth will answer that question.

[meeshrox]

17. First, do no harm?

asshole...

Where are the brick throwers now? (I'm not advocating this, just pointing out that there never will be any...Florida has lost it's collective mind!)

[Riley18]

19. That little town is near my house. Just yesterday I was saying how the doctors

down here are different than the ones up north. I know that every doctor here is not an ass like Cassell, but there is a difference in level of care. Things may have changed in Philly by now, but when I lived there the doctors and dentists mostly took the copay and what the insurance paid. Here in Florida the doctors and dentists want me to pay the same or more than my insurance pays them.

[Cass]

20. I wonder what he would say if a patient kept the appointment but informed him in the exam room that

he voted for Obama? Would the doctor throw him out then?

He seems to be clinging to the idea that if he turns patients away passively with a sign he is in compliance with ethics regulations, but it still accomplishes the same thing which is turning patients away based on their vote.

Allen said doctors cannot refuse patients on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual preference 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.

[OneGrassRoot]

23. Or if the patient kept the appointment...

but came in and canceled because of THE DOCTOR'S political preferences.

I bet the no-show/late cancel fee would still be applied.

This infuriates me!!!

[get the red out]

22. I wouldn't want to go to him anyway

Who would want a Doctor like that? If it is politics this week that makes him not want certain patients, what will it be next week? Religion? Race? What school they attended?

It is an example of how far the right wing propaganda has driven people though, their whole purpose is to turn Americans against each other. It is a tragedy.

[tjwash]

27. Good...who wants to give a shithead like that any business anyway?

nt

[tk2kewl]

29. I wish more businesses would take that approach...

it would make it a lot easier to spend my money constructively.

[Ganja Ninja]

28. You would think a Doctor would be smarter than a teabagger.

Probably a good thing to find this out before he starts giving you his diagnosis and care especially if your a person of color. Doesn't sound like a doctor whose opinion I could trust.

[Sheepshank]

30. If this office were in any 'normal' part of the US

Such a sign would even lose him moderate Republicans and Green Voters, and Independents and even some Libertarians. Many other's would become concerned and offended that such political 'segregation' may cross lines into type of care for types of people. Of course, many of his Tea Party patients would think that was dandy, but I doubt there would be enough of them could keep his practice afloat. THEN the inevitable would happen. He'd have to close his business and guess who would be to blame for that? Pretty sure you can guess that one easy enough.

[PCIntern]

31. Asshole of the first order...

He's not alone though...I think I posted about the root canal specialist here in Philly who, after he applies the rubber dam so the patient can't answer him, goes on a RW rampage. I've had many people tell me they won't go back and I stopped referring to him years ago, just after "Decision" 2000.

[struggle4progress]

32. I hope lots of folk tell him to piss off

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

34. So, he's Walt Starring his clientele. Nice. -nt