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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1987)
Editorial Doctor's strike symbolizes change in medical views Two doctors in Aquidneck Island, a Rhode Island com munity, are on strike. They refuse to treat pregnant women on Medicaid because the $350 payment does not cover the cost of the entire delivery. This strike sends out a strong signal to the medical community: profits over care. The state is considering raising the Medicaid payments from $350 to $750. But malpractice insurance rates may dou ble by july, making the new payments obsolete. The dispute in Rhode Island is not a unique problem. Doctors in other states also have to deal with small Medicaid payments. But Aquidneck Island is a relatively isolated com munity. Only five obstetricians practice in the area and pro vide the only source of prenatal care. The nearest hospital or clinic is in Providence, about a hour bus ride from Aquidneck Island. Low-income women have only one choice for prenatal care. By closing this option, the doctors may receive their demands, but they undermine the purpose of the medical profession. They still are treating existing patients and pa tients they treated in the past. But new patients have nowhere to turn for care. Obviously some solution is necessary. The Medicaid program in Rhode Island is sound. It provides for 12 visits before delivery, labor supervision, and three post-delivery checkups. Because the amounts of Medicaid payments are determined by the individual states, these checkups are not always provided in other areas of the country. In some cities low-income mothers have their babies in an emergency room — with no care before, and very little after, the birth. This incident in Rhode Island is a reflection of the pro blems existing in the medical profession nationwide. As the technology available to and the skills of doctors increase, so does the profit motive. And it does not only affect pregnant low-income women. The elderly and the poor also feel the loss of medical attention. The days of the caring Doctor Welby have disappeared, and the medical profession has become glamorized — to the extent that doctors expect a life of luxury by the time they start their practice. This attitude hurts the entire profession. In a January article, Newsweek explored the “quicker and sicker” syndrome. In order to cut costs, hospitals are treating patients more quickly but sending them home before they have completely recovered. One hospital was able to save $4.7 million in charges by cutting the average length of stay by only two-tenths of a day. There is no evidence to say this harms the patient. But it continues to send out the message of profits first. the poor and the elderly are the most vulnerable to hospitals motivated by money. As hospitals become businesses, the idea of caring for people becomes a secon dary standard. Medicaid and Medicare do not cover all the costs of a patients stay. But they do cover some. The doctors in Rhode Island and doctors throughout the nation should re-examine their priorities. The poor need medical attention and it should be provided for them — regardless of their ability to pay. Medical care is something we take for granted until we need it. The medical profession should not be undermined by basic greed. It is considered a respected profession. But if doctors continue to place money over patients, this view could change quickly. mws&Dnm» USTCAD OP CONDOMS, WEAR LEISURE 3UTS. Letters Fetuses We shouldn’t lose sight of the most important factor in the abortion controversy. The factor that overshadows any other consideration is whether a baby in the womb is human. If so. that child deserves protection. First of all, the term “fetus” is a descriptive term just like “infant'* or “adolescent.” Some people actually will say. “WeTe talking about a fetus, not a baby. The absurdity of such a statement is quite apparent. The “fetus" develops brain waves during the first two mon ths after conception. The heart develops earlier than that. Most medical experts consider a per son legally dead when brain waves stop. So shouldn’t human life be considered as ex isting after brain waves have first started? The baby is as genetically dif ferent from the mother as you or I are from our mothers — a sim ple tissue biopsy would reveal that. The baby’s blood cir culates in an enclosed system, and his or her blood type might be totally different than the mother’s. Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald Is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co., at the University of Oregon, Eugene. Oregon, 97403 The Emerald operates independently of the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Production Manager Wayne Michael Lottinville Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur / Sales Manager Teresa Acosta, Brent Collins, Beryl Israel, Janelle Heit mann. Laura Goldstein, Catherine lllja. Rick Martz Joseph Menzel, Peter Miller, Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial 686-5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Letter Perfect Graphics 686-5511 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Spectrum Photo Editor Graphics Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment General Assignment Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angle Muniz Capi Lynn Michael Wilhelm John Giustina Lorraine Rath Lucinda Dillon Jolayne Houtz Nick Reed Chris Norred B J. Thomsen Carolyn Lamberson Sarah Kitchen Karen Creighton Dennis Fernandes Scott Maben "'t™'""*- ooan «*m«jRer, Mary ooums, uary Henley Janet Paulson Photographers: Shertyn Bjorkgren, Shu-Shing Chen, Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt, Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre, Elizabeth Asher, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga, Sandra Bevans, Sara Bnscoe, Shu Shing Chen, Janet Emery, Judith Gatz. Lisa Haggerty Donna Leslie. Curtis Lott, Kelli Mason, Mike McGraw] Rob Miles, Angelina Muniz. Julie Paul, Ingrid White] Serena Williams, X. Kang Xie True, the baby depends on the mother for nourishment the entire nine months, but when born that child will depend on others for survival. Come to think of it, don’t we all depend on others throughout our lives? It would be ridiculous to base our ‘‘value” or right to live on our independence from others. To “abort a fetus” actually means to kill a baby when translated. That’s what motivates people to seek an end to legalized abortion. I«ori Parkman Elmira Being there The movie “Platoon” and its associated reverberations in cluding comment and critical evaluation have occupied con siderable time and verbiage. From the perspective of a former infantryman/sniper in Vietnam during most of 1969 and part of 1970, it appears that the most common reactions to it are either disbelieving or sensa tionalistic. To those who would disbelieve, it happened. To those who would sensa tionalize, in terms of its ab solute horror, it was sensational enough for even the most jaded of those who watch horror films. To those who would criticize its textual content, those con versations were the start of a process of catharsis, which was interrupted by the understan dable vyjsh of the American public to forget there was ever the “travesty” of Vietnam. We who were there Wish we could forget too. but that has not been possible in the 17 years since 1 was evacuated, for me as an individual. The mechanics of fighting a guerrilla war are such that all non-Americans must be con sidered as the potential end to one’s life, and thus must be stopped in any wav possible if survival is to be insured. Personally, in terms of the events depicted in the film, I have seen much worse and done much worse, though I have spoken little. My actions and those of others were non-normal reactions to non-normal situa tions, of which war is made up. Disbelievers, welcome to the real world. Dan Flemmer Anthropology GTF Bad analogy Dan Goulet’s surreal analogies (ODE, Feb. 11) do not even merit response. With hind sight, it is rather obvious that the Weather Underground was using rather foolish means to at tain a worthy end. “Murderous?” I am not aware of a shred of evidence that reflects their intention to murder anyone. “Terrorists?” I doubt if anyone ever lost ten minutes of sleep worrying about being blown up by their organization. This may be a “great nation,” but training people to go half way around the world to ter rorize a tiny country — as the ROTC was doing — was a perversity we ought not to forget. Go see “Platoon,” and you’ll see what the Weather people, however unrealistically, were trying to stop. As for Bissell, why send a person, who for years has been serving other people, to prison because he (allegedly) attemp ted to damage some property 17 years ago? Brian Anglin Ex<combat medic Vietnam Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair comment on topics of interest to the University community. Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style. Let ters to the editor should be turn ed into the Emerald office. Suite 300. EMU.
