First, thank you so much for writing. I completely understand your point of view and appreciate your tolerance of mine as well. I don't have insurance (at 1K a month, who can afford it?) so well understand the challenges faced by those who may need treatments, procedures, or medicines but have finite resources available to meet medical needs.
As indicated above, I understand that the doctors are trying to do a good thing and I do not fault them for that at all. One of my concerns, which perhaps isn't so clear in the article, is the concept that we're giving USED parts (which are not of the same quality as new) to the poor - and that doesn't feel good to pass of seconds to them. (I have visions of going to a salvage yard to get bargain parts for your car only only to have to replace the part again two months down the road because the used part simply isn't the same quality as new and doesn't hold up. Maybe I spent $10 for a $20 part but if I have to replace it again in two months, what have I saved?) I can envision a new industry built around recycling pacemakers - and abuse arising out of this as well, possibly at the expense of the very persons the concept is designed to help. Even the doctors proposing this admit that the issues are not all that cut and dried and raise moral and ethic concerns. I guess in the end, time will tell whether this is ultimately a good thing or not.
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First, thank you so much for writing. I completely understand your point of view and appreciate your tolerance of mine as well. I don't have insurance (at 1K a month, who can afford it?) so well understand the challenges faced by those who may need treatments, procedures, or medicines but have finite resources available to meet medical needs.
As indicated above, I understand that the doctors are trying to do a good thing and I do not fault them for that at all. One of my concerns, which perhaps isn't so clear in the article, is the concept that we're giving USED parts (which are not of the same quality as new) to the poor - and that doesn't feel good to pass of seconds to them. (I have visions of going to a salvage yard to get bargain parts for your car only only to have to replace the part again two months down the road because the used part simply isn't the same quality as new and doesn't hold up. Maybe I spent $10 for a $20 part but if I have to replace it again in two months, what have I saved?) I can envision a new industry built around recycling pacemakers - and abuse arising out of this as well, possibly at the expense of the very persons the concept is designed to help. Even the doctors proposing this admit that the issues are not all that cut and dried and raise moral and ethic concerns. I guess in the end, time will tell whether this is ultimately a good thing or not.
November 9, 2010 - 11:14pmThis Comment
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