FL "go elsewhere" Urologist 's wife is a GOP candidate for the county commission

[Amerigo Vespucci]

The pieces are slowly starting to come together.

A University of Florida professor said Cassell is walking a thin line between free speech and professional obligation. William Allen, a specialist in bioethics, law and medical professionalism, said civil rights protections can prevent patient discrimination. But the law only provides for race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and disability -- not political opinion.

Allen said Cassell may be within his rights if he doesn't quiz patients about their politics and hasn't refused to see anyone.

"(He's) trying to hold onto the nub of his ethical obligation," Allen said. "But this is pushing the limit."

Cassell has been practicing in the area since 1988. His wife, Leslie Campione, is a lawyer and GOP candidate for the county commission.

Cassell told Fox News that most patients have been extremely supportive.

"Ninety eight percent are energized," he said. "And once they read this timeline, they can't believe it. I started out just trying to figure out how to educate my patients but think every doctor in the United States needs to put this in their office."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/03/congressman-plans-file-complaint-anti-obama-doctor/

And check out the "CAPTCHA" enter code at the bottom right corner.

http://www.lesliecampione.com/

[eleny]

1. Yup. I believe that some of his motivation is to give his wife free publicity

An attempt to appeal to Teabaggery.

[patrice]

2. So the doctor is using his license for his wife's political advantage.

[eleny]

3. The doc's office is in Alan Grayson's district

I don't believe in karma - but this makes me pause a moment to reflect on the beauty of the irony.

[patrice]

4. Wish a few ministers/priests would show their hand this clearly.

[louis-t]

5. "My patients are supportive"

Sure, when you all but refuse to treat anyone who doesn't think like you, they're going to be supportive.

[Sheepshank]

10. Pretty sure that those who walk through the door

are supportive.

Wonder how many are walking away?

[otohara]

6. His Patients Are Supportive and Steaming Piles

of poo!

:nuke:

It's the ME, ME, ME, don't touch my Medicare folks.

[malaise]

7. He should be banned from practicing medicine

I hope not one Democrat or independent goes near that scumbag.

[SocialistLez]

8. Disgusting

[BrklynLiberal]

9. Aha! some free name recogniton publicity..What a pair of earrings these two are.

Anyone who goes to that doctor is an idiot.

I am a bit surprised he is a urologist. from his behavior I would have expected him to be a proctologist.

[sequioa]

11. Jack Cassell

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/14031771-1.html

Physicians (I am one) have very legitimate concerns about keeping their offices open under Medicare and Medicaid. 21% cuts? $11 an hour? Where is this all going?

Please read the article I posted.

I feel caught in a vise and a political football. There has been no malpractice reform, there is no honesty about what a physician should earn for their service and education. Is Cassell fearful about his future? I think he should be at this point.

Why is that? Could it be, just maybe, a huge majority of Congresspeople are attorneys?

I am simultaneously told medical care costs too much, but a patient can go to the internet, learn about every test under the sun, and demand unnecessary tests while threatening in many different subtle ways, their physician. If something goes wrong, an attorney can demand as to why I didn't do a test during a subsequent lawsuit. My name can then go into a national data bank after a lawsuit and get published on the internet for all to disparage that I am a bad physician. All this for 11 dollars an hour.

Nurses and the representatives who bring in parts (orthopedic hip replacements, defibrillator's, support stockings, scooter chairs) can earn more per hour than do physicians.

I would like to see just what people think a physician with the years of sacrifice, schooling, and the unheralded free compassionate service we all give our patients deserve to earn without being called greedy or the other unrepeatable things? The heart of the issue is the very real fear about the future we all should have with real needs as we grow older, sicker, and no money to pay for it. Anyone look at the deficit we owe China lately?

I am absolutely certain Dr. Jack Cassell has given compassionate service to his patients and free care along with compensated care. Physicians feel fear just as we all do. When people (physicians) are fearful, facing an uncertain future, they make mistakes just as everyone does.

Do people think physicians should just then work for the government? If we did, then maybe we could practice without fear of poverty in retirement at $11 an hour and 21% cuts. Anyone take a huge hit in their retirement in 2000 and 2008?

There are public employees in California retiring in their 50's earning $100,000 a year with guaranteed cost of living increases. I'll take that today! But that won't happen for physicians because we have no negotiation power as do the public employees unions in California. California doesn't have the money to pay for those retirements!

Personally I'd like some honesty instead of insults, and 21% cuts, and no malpractice reform.

Does all that make me worthy of your insults and political harm from Congressman Grayson?

I think that's just being a human being with all the worries and concerns everyone else has. Medicine is very high risk and as physicians are distracted as they are today, this can only increase the potential for harm to patients as fear breeds distraction and mistakes. Who wins there? Not the patients or the physicians who are expected to be perfect (impossible).

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. What's the point of posting this? Regardless of politics, the guy should not post a sign

telling anyone they are not welcome in his practice, even if he feels that way.

[sequioa]

14. Mayberry Machiavelli

When people are fearful, they can make mistakes. Did Dr. Cassell make a huge mistake or did he get 15 minutes of Andy Warhol fame? Did he try to provoke some honest discussion? He's a celebrity now no matter what you think of him personally.

Is it better to insult a person, or engage them in a discussion? Insults turn peoples minds off just as does anger.

Can you please read the article and answer how you feel about what a physician should look forward to? Dr. Cassell is fearful about his future just as most physician I talk to. They can't keep their offices open seeing only Medicare and Medicaid patients. With the new health care bill passage, and a 21% cut, where is this going?

So the health care bill passed, and then there was an immediate 21% cut. A physician is supposed to trust at this point?

I carefully wrote some thoughtful observations and questions, where is this heading?

Medicare patients receive far more in care (cost) than was ever paid into the system. Sustainable? I think everyone reading this should take a big deep breath and ask themselves if they will receive
more than they paid into the Medicare system? To this point, Medicare\Medicaid is paying physicians less than it costs to keep their offices open.

Is this sustainable? I think what everyone in our country should ask themselves after congratulations over health care passing is where the cuts are coming. Are they going to cut off the very services provided now? Of course this will have to happen. We can't go on spending more than we make.

Fear that, not some sign in a physicians office. Physicians can only supply so much below cost care.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. Do you agree with my point that he should not post sign telling Obama voters to go away?

[sequioa]

16. Mayberry Machiavelli

Personally I wouldn't have posted it, but then again I'll defend somebodies right to say (almost) any crazy thing they want to.

Shut down free speech? Don't go there. Go ahead and disagree with Cassell, go right ahead, as loud as you want to be.

But don't tell others how they should think or what they need to believe in. Convince by sound argument not coercion, threats or half truths.

Most Americans want honesty and civility. That will ultimately sway the majority of Americans to a persons point of view. PT Barnum famously is quoted as (forgive if I'm not exact): "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time."

Go ahead and have some fun at Cassell, that's American as apple pie, if you want.

But we two are having a discussion on a relativity obscure forum, and I'm asking to meet on a small common ground as Americans, but think about this:

Cassell is on national TV with tons of free publicity for his point of view, call him all you want, but don't you see the point that although you vehemently disagree with him, he's making a point on a national scale?

Now please read my points about the future of health care and please think about them. Do you want your health care rationed from you when you get sick? Are you resigned to die for the overall good of the American people because your treatment is too costly? Or do you want everything done for you?

When you get sick do you want your physicians of the very highest caliber or do you want them lesser quality to save the American people from bankruptcy? What is the message to bright young college kids at $11 an hour and 21% pay cuts from Medicare? Medical school applications are down from 46,000 to 42,000 (roughly).

Who will make the call for you? Your physician and you, or a bureaucrat? These are very real questions the country will very rapidly be facing. Be informed as to the breast cancer and prostate cancer survivorship in England versus the USA. Do you know what the statistics are? Get informed. Cassell has provoked discussion like it or not. Agree or disagree with him. That is real power.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

17. Telling people who voted for Obama to seek care elsewhere is not "provoking discussion". It's being

an asshole and inappropriate for a doctor.

It's involving the patients in his own politics.

The huge majority of patients I see where I work (I'm a doc too) have politics very different from mine.

It should never be an issue, and is not, in my interaction with the patients. Even if they are also Democrats or Obama supporters, politics is not something I bring up or discuss with them. Whether their politics agree with mine or do not should have nothing to do with whether I see them, and even though this guy is not technically turning away any patients he's doing something very low by explicitly stating to a subset of his patients that they are not welcome in his practice when that should have nothing to do with whether he sees them or not. How are they supposed to feel? Uncomfortable at best.

Frankly, the man is being a passive aggressive turd by putting that sign up but then not saying anything directly to patients.

It's a low class move.

He has a right to put that sign up but it's terribly unprofessional.

[lolly]

18. Talking Points

Now please read my points about the future of health care and please think about them. Do you want your health care rationed from you when you get sick? Are you resigned to die for the overall good of the American people because your treatment is too costly? Or do you want everything done for you?

This is my favorite talking point from the anti-HCR crowd. Apparently, we are not supposed to notice that 1000s of people have been dying for years because their treatment is too costly.

Physicians of the highest caliber? Where am I supposed to find those? I've had to go to the ones on my HMO's list. And I've been one of the lucky people who has access to healthcare.

What planet have you been living on where people got access to whatever treatment they wanted from whatever doctor they wanted? Planet Beverly Hills? The rest of us have been dealing with denied claims, pre-existing conditions, rising premiums, and limited choice for decades.

And I'm supposed to boo-hoo because Dr. Jack only gets to buy a new Mercedes every 3 years instead of every 2 now?

[sequioa]

19. We are in the same boat.

Thanks for your response and I'll answer from my perspective.

Now please read my points about the future of health care and please think about them. Do you want your health care rationed from you when you get sick? Are you resigned to die for the overall good of the American people because your treatment is too costly? Or do you want everything done for you?



"This is my favorite talking point from the anti-HCR crowd. Apparently, we are not supposed to notice that 1000s of people have been dying for years because their treatment is too costly."

I work as an anesthesiologist so everyone I take care of gets the very best I can give. I'm asking you to take note of the survivorship rates in a government run health care system such as Canada and England. Who has more patients who are dying because of treatments which are too costly? Your statement makes my point.

"Physicians of the highest caliber? Where am I supposed to find those? I've had to go to the ones on my HMO's list."

I choose not to work in an HMO and I do think a policy that allows you to choose your physician based on your best assessment of their quality of care, along with a traditional primary care type physician, is the way to insure the highest quality. But there is a shortage of primary care because of pay and debt. The new health care bill won't get you flown the next day down to Duke Medical for your brain tumor like Ted Kennedy, that is unless you are a Congressman, Senator or very wealthy.

"What planet have you been living on where people got access to whatever treatment they wanted from whatever doctor they wanted? Planet Beverly Hills? The rest of us have been dealing with denied claims, pre-existing conditions, rising premiums, and limited choice for decades."

I didn't write that a person can get whatever treatment they want or see whatever physician they want like the rich and powerful can. But with persistence and educating yourself our system allows the best chance at it. Physicians are fearful of loss of the choices you presently have with the government substituting a bureaucrat telling what you can have, as Canada and England do now. Everyone wants reform to the system. Almost no one denies that. But was the bill written and published for debate as was the promise, with exhaustive thought as to unintended consequences? No, it was mostly written in secrecy.

I agree with you again, if you are rich or powerful you probably will get Ted Kennedy treatment. (Planet Beverly Hills?) But everyone else (like me) will most likely continue to lose as you have pointed out you are losing with denied claims, rising premiums and lack of choice as to who you can see. It would seem (not 100% sure, but with the financial hemorrhage from the war) there is now too much expenditure versus the strength of the economy to sustain health care and our aging population. We are bankrupt. I don't want further choice reduction for you or my family, but that is the way it will go in a one payer system. You might answer that's not the way the bill is written, but I would have to disagree with you as to that is exactly where I think this will end up. HMO's and denied claims at least gave you a chance at re-submittal of claims and a chance of going outside for a special condition if you fight. You think it will get better or worse with the new bill? Having seen and worked in a Veterans Administration run hospital, and taken care of Canadians who were literally dying waiting for heart surgery (until the newspapers in BC found out and raised a outcry), you should hold your applause on the new health care bill.

"And I'm supposed to boo-oho because Dr. Jack only gets to buy a new Mercedes every 3 years instead of every 2 now?"

Knock it off. I'm not going to swear, just knock it off already. Here's where I get upset at the tired old caricatures of physicians. The doctors parking lots where I work mostly have Honda's, mini vans and Toyota Priuses. I have a fancy new 2003 MDX which is just fine, and I'm grateful. There is one newer Lexus LS460 (must be an older physician) and a couple of mid level Mercedes. Don't know what year they are and I don't care that much. Wake up on the prejudice. I challenge you to go check out your local doctors parking lot and get back to me on what you find there.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mvd]

25. We couldn't disagree more.

We get such little in relation to what we spend compared to other countries. I feel like you are presenting a one-sided view of care in Canada and would take any of the more goverment-influenced programs over ours. And as for physicians, they often make a comfortable living in those other countries (Canada, France, England, etc.) Can't ask for more than that.

[DawgHouse]

28. Wish I could K/R :)

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sequioa]

29. BTW

The surgeon I respect most in the world is a Proctologist.

Dr. Gordon Klatt-Please read about him and honor him for starting the Relay for Life. He was honored by the American Cancer Society in New York in the last few years.

He is a Democrat, and absolutely one of the finest, most professional people I've ever met.

http://www.buttsareus.com/

So when you say things about Proctologists, thinking it's derogatory and funny, you are absolutely wrong, it's a real compliment to Cassell.

http://www.riponrelayforlife.org/rfl/page.asp?p=About

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relay_For_Life

Have you checked for blood in your stool lately?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

30. I think you are replying to someone else.

I didn't say anything about proctologists.

The talking points you make don't apply much to anesthesiologists. Average income is well into the 200K's and overhead is among the lowest of all specialties, just a billing office unless you are running a pain practice, rare to have to buy your own anesthesia machines or gear or pharmaceuticals.

Since billing is usually a fixed percent of collections if farmed out, how are you making the argument that you, as an anesthesiologist, are going to be killed by the health care bill as passed?

And, if you are making the slippery slope argument that even though the bill doesn't mandate single payer or even a public option, but inevitably must lead to single payer, you will have to provide evidence or a more convincing argument than your opinion that this is the case.

Your examples of prostate cancer and breast cancer are typical cherrypicked GOP nonsense, particularly with respect to prostate cancer. We screen like crazy for that compared to other countries, it's actively debated whether we are screening more than we need given the typical indolent course of the disease, so we have a huge denominator of prostate cancer cases compared to countries that screen less, yet many of the screened will die of other diseases regardless of the treatment because of the indolent natural history of much prostate cancer, so it's to some degree expected for us to have "better" survival numbers due to larger denominator of screened positive and the nature of the illness.

How about uninsured people with diabetes? How are they faring in our system? People going bankrupt because they happened to get diagnosed with cancer between jobs or hit by a car in between jobs? You okay with all that? I ask because I assume you are a GOP voter based on your responses and positions and talking points (although I'm sure you will deny it). The GOP had plenty of chances to address all that while in power during Bush and earlier and basically went status quo, with some health care savings accounts which do nothing for the problems I enumerated. Because they did nothing while in power for a long time, they have forfeited any credibility on the issue other than being an instrument of the status quo.

Tort reform? Texas and California have the type of tort reform discussed, I'm not aware of any revolutionary decrease in medical costs in those states as a result.

This thread was about one guy and his douchebag sign, not a debate on the overall bill and everything which you are trying to turn it into. Even if you "wouldn't put that sign up yourself" as you said, if you are unable to see what an asshole that makes the guy, you have a gigantic blind spot as far as "humanity" goes.

[sequioa]

31. Throw them all out

I remember the day very clearly when the house passed malpractice reform and GOP Senators stopped it. I was disgusted and felt betrayed. Who stood up and stopped the housing meltdown when there was still time? Yes, a single party controlled it all, and now another controls it all, AND THERE IS STILL NO MALPRACTICE REFORM.

I am an independent, and I seek both sides of an argument hopefully without slander, pigeonholing or labels.

I try not to make assumptions about others motivation (other than honest) or label others. Our political discourse these days is about soundbites, labeling, and pushing buttons. All tricks to prevent honest discussion and real dialogue. I grew up learning that compromise and hearing out the other side represents real democracy and respect. I invite you to quit labeling and stand on the force of the argument.

I have to thank you for your considered response, other than the assumptions made about where I stand.

I'm very thankful to live in a country where I hope my web address isn't searched out, Orwellian style, to take me out and shoot me and my family in the middle of the night. Watch "The Killing Fields."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/03/congressman-plans-file-complaint-anti-obama-doctor/

In response to your point about malpractice reform in Texas not decreasing medical costs, you are wrong. Here is just one example:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/Medical_liability_reform_crucial_to_health_care.html

Christus in Texas has been able to save millions defending frivolous lawsuits and has invested it within the Christus system for better obstetrical nurse training.

Thanks again for your response.

[BrklynLiberal]

23. How do the doctors manage to live in Great Britain, France, and every other

industrialized country on this planet ..all of which have universal health care to some extent?
The doctor that Michael Moore interviewed, a British Doctor..was living quite well under their "socialist" system.

[sequioa]

24. Here's what I'm saying

Thank you for your response.

I'm not saying physicians aren't living well in England.

I am saying survival rates are lower in England and Canada for breast cancer and prostate cancer. Thoughtful physicians fear for all of us falling into a VA Hospital type system for their patients. Getting immediate care in a Government run VA Hospital just doesn't fly; that is if it's the same as when I was a medical student and resident. We have lived this system and most of us can't stand the sloth. I am not saying there aren't dedicated people in VA Hospitals, I am saying that it doesn't take care of people as they should be taken care of.

Last summer British Columbia literally ran out of money for their hospitals and canceled elective surgeries. There were no neonatal nursery beds one summer for a newborn in all of Canada, so the newborn was sent to Montana.

These aren't talking points, these are facts and very legitimate concerns if government fully takes over your health care. We fight wars and bail out wall street with unlimited resources. Medicare physicians can't keep their doors open and get 21% cuts? We don't care for our very own citizens to the best of our ability?

Is DU a forum for true debate and understanding different viewpoints, or a forum for a single point of view?

I want to understand different viewpoints and inform others on my perspective from 26 years. I want to hear all sides with an open mind. It seems sadly lacking in a lot of people these days and we need to get back to that or we may well all fail as a people and a country.

[malaise]

26. The only developed country on the planet without

universal health care is the United States - go figure.

[BrklynLiberal]

27. I am at a loss to figure that one out...

[KittyWampus]

12. Xenu- the capture code you spotted is from Scientology.

Xenu, also Xemu (pronounced /ˈziːnuː/<1><2><3>) was, according to the founder of Scientology and science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions<4><5> of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs. Official Scientology dogma holds that the essences of these many people remained, and that they form around people in modern times, causing them spiritual harm.<1><6> Members of the Church of Scientology widely deny or try to hide the Xenu story

[gleaner]

22. Ah yes ...

another lofty stand for a motivated and "principled" individual. What a putz.:evilgrin: