Florida Doctors Begin Refusing To Treat Overweight Patients

[Vidav]

So should these doctors refuse to treat UNDERWEIGHT women as well? That is probably a higher risk group than overweight women in pregnancy.

Doctors should be able to refuse to treat anyone they want.

It's no different than doctors refusing to accept certain types of insurance, medicare, medicaid, etc. They spent the 8 years in school, 3 or 4 years in residency, and/or 2+ years learning a specialty.

I rarely agree with Baldy but with this I do.

[kalm]

So should these doctors refuse to treat UNDERWEIGHT women as well? That is probably a higher risk group than overweight women in pregnancy.

Doctors should be able to refuse to treat anyone they want.

It's no different than doctors refusing to accept certain types of insurance, medicare, medicaid, etc. They spent the 8 years in school, 3 or 4 years in residency, and/or 2+ years learning a specialty.

And medical boards should be able to refuse to grant these doctors a license as they are clearly violating one of the key tenants of their profession.

[Skjellyfetti]

Is it wrong for hospitals to put people that need transplants due to smoking or drinking at the bottom of the waiting list?

People that cause their own ailments from eating too much and sitting on the couch too much are no different, imo.

[Baldy]

Doctors should be able to refuse to treat anyone they want.

It's no different than doctors refusing to accept certain types of insurance, medicare, medicaid, etc. They spent the 8 years in school, 3 or 4 years in residency, and/or 2+ years learning a specialty.

And medical boards should be able to refuse to grant these doctors a license as they are clearly violating one of the key tenants of their profession.

Exactly, and none of those tenants require doctors to treat every person who walks through their door.

[Pwns]

Two words...

TORT.....REFORM....


As for the excuse about the examination tables and beds not supporting heavier folks, they need to just deal with it. I'm 260 pounds with a 35" waist, are you going to say you can refuse to see me?

[grizzaholic]

Two words...

TORT.....REFORM....


As for the excuse about the examination tables and beds not supporting heavier folks, they need to just deal with it. I'm 260 pounds with a 35" waist, are you going to say you can refuse to see me?

Well...you are kind of hard to miss.

[89Hen]

I'm 260 pounds with a 35" waist, are you going to say you can refuse to see me?

[89Hen]

So should these doctors refuse to treat UNDERWEIGHT women as well? That is probably a higher risk group than overweight women in pregnancy.

Yes. Next.

[travelinman67]

So should these doctors refuse to treat UNDERWEIGHT women as well? That is probably a higher risk group than overweight women in pregnancy.

Yes. Next.

To clarify, Hen: Doctors should have the right to refuse treatment (establishment of a doctor/patient relationship), with anyone in a higher risk group, or anyone they choose regardless of the patient's condition?

[89Hen]

Yes. Next.

To clarify, Hen: Doctors should have the right to refuse treatment (establishment of a doctor/patient relationship), with anyone in a higher risk group, or anyone they choose regardless of the patient's condition?

Yes. There is NO law that says they must take on anyone and everyone. Now, it may come back to bite them in the ass and not be able to make their practice work, but it is their right. AFAIK weight is not a protected class.

[travelinman67]

To clarify, Hen: Doctors should have the right to refuse treatment (establishment of a doctor/patient relationship), with anyone in a higher risk group, or anyone they choose regardless of the patient's condition?

Yes. There is NO law that says they must take on anyone and everyone. Now, it may come back to bite them in the ass and not be able to make their practice work, but it is their right. AFAIK weight is not a protected class.

Then, you're asserting, they may refuse to treat a pregnant woman in need of medical attention merely because she exceeds a specific weight, absent an intake examination?

Ever hear of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?

The argument that their condition is voluntary is idiotic. Research has confirmed that the obese, statistically, have a a high occurrence of a specific gene which predisposes them to higher fat content. Beyond genetic predisposition, there are mental illnesses which predispose people to overeating; OCD, depression, etc.
Should a person be refused treatment due to a medical condition for which they have no means to control (absent medication or surgery...which requires medical intervention)? Absent an intake examination to rule out medical causes of their overweight condtion, those doctors are absolutely in violation of Section 504, making them ineligible to receive any Federal funding (medicare, etc...), and ALSO opens them up to Civil Rights violations for discrimination.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Yes. There is NO law that says they must take on anyone and everyone. Now, it may come back to bite them in the ass and not be able to make their practice work, but it is their right. AFAIK weight is not a protected class.

Then, you're asserting, they may refuse to treat a pregnant woman in need of medical attention merely because she exceeds a specific weight, absent an intake examination?

Ever hear of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?

The argument that their condition is voluntary is idiotic. Research has confirmed that the obese, statistically, have a a high occurrence of a specific gene which predisposes them to higher fat content. Beyond genetic predisposition, there are mental illnesses which predispose people to overeating; OCD, depression, etc.
Should a person be refused treatment due to a medical condition for which they have no means to control (absent medication or surgery...which requires medical intervention)? Absent an intake examination to rule out medical causes of their overweight condtion, those doctors are absolutely in violation of Section 504, making them ineligible to receive any Federal funding (medicare, etc...), and ALSO opens them up to Civil Rights violations for discrimination.

The only state that I'm aware of that SPECIFICALLY cites weight as a class is Michigan. That said - the Americans with Disabilities Act does extend to the obese, in at least some circumstances.

[89Hen]

those doctors are absolutely in violation of Section 504, making them ineligible to receive any Federal funding (medicare, etc...), and ALSO opens them up to Civil Rights violations for discrimination.

I'm no attorney, but I think you're mistaken.

http://www.physiciansnews.com/law/202.html

At common law, a physician did not have a duty to treat any patient as long as a relationship between the physician and patient did not exist. This so called "no duty rule" extended to a physician’s right to refuse to treat an individual in need of emergency care as long as there was no prior relationship between the physician and the patient. From a legal perspective, physicians were free to decline to treat an individual under circumstances that prevented a physician/patient relationship from coming into existence.

This no duty rule was based on the law of contracts and the notion that, to create a physician/patient relationship and the physician’s duty to treat, both parties had to voluntarily consent. In order to establish the duty bound relationship, the physician had to act affirmatively in a way that indicated an intention to treat the patient. The relationship could be established either expressly or impliedly.

Antidiscrimination laws also have affected the circumstances when a physician may deny medical care. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits an otherwise qualified individual with a disability from being excluded from or denied benefits of any program actively receiving federal financial assistance solely by reason of the individual’s disability.

[travelinman67]

Then, you're asserting, they may refuse to treat a pregnant woman in need of medical attention merely because she exceeds a specific weight, absent an intake examination?

Ever hear of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?

The argument that their condition is voluntary is idiotic. Research has confirmed that the obese, statistically, have a a high occurrence of a specific gene which predisposes them to higher fat content. Beyond genetic predisposition, there are mental illnesses which predispose people to overeating; OCD, depression, etc.
Should a person be refused treatment due to a medical condition for which they have no means to control (absent medication or surgery...which requires medical intervention)? Absent an intake examination to rule out medical causes of their overweight condtion, those doctors are absolutely in violation of Section 504, making them ineligible to receive any Federal funding (medicare, etc...), and ALSO opens them up to Civil Rights violations for discrimination.

The only state that I'm aware of that SPECIFICALLY cites weight as a class is Michigan. That said - the Americans with Disabilities Act does extend to the obese, in at least some circumstances.

Obesity solely is not a disability; the causor of the obesity CAN BE a disability. Absent an examination to rule out other medical factors which may cause the obesity, the doctor may well be denying treatment due to a diagnosable ailment, which DOES constitute a disability, thereby resulting in discrimination due to disability.
A perfect illustration of this is a veteran I know: He was hit by an IED while in Iraq, and received extensive internal injury which affected several organs. When he returned home, due to stomach/digestive damage, he gained weight rapidly going from 170 to over 270 in less than a year. The VA performed further surgeries, including what amounted to a "stomach" reduction, and he's now back to around 190. He is fully disabled, collect disability pension, and is only around 25 yrs old. Basically, the guy is just fucked up...has all kinds of health problems. Legally, he is "Disabled" and qualifies for all types of ADA benefits.
Absent an intake examination to determine the cause of his obesity, when he was 240, per these doctor's logic, he could have been declined treatment (...if he was female).
Having been declined, he could have grounds for a Section 504 claim for discrimination.

[travelinman67]

Antidiscrimination laws also have affected the circumstances when a physician may deny medical care. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits an otherwise qualified individual with a disability from being excluded from or denied benefits of any program actively receiving federal financial assistance solely by reason of the individual’s disability.

Again, they "may deny", but if they are recipients of any federal funding, discriminating due to disability could result in funding revocation, not to mention providing tort cause. If I was in practice, I'd sure as hell look favorably at that case.

[JohnStOnge]

From the Hippocratic Oath to "No fat chicks"... love to see the evolution in modern medicine... stay classy docs...

I think the evolution of our court systems needs a shout out on this one. I do not blame Doctors at ALL for wanting to avoid patients they believe represent a higher risk of getting them sued.

[JohnStOnge]

I have a son with a definite disability (profoundly deaf). But some of the discussion above reminds me of why I still think it was a bad idea to legislate something like the Americans With Disabilities Act. Nobody should be forced to do business with anybody else, regardless of the reason. It is none of government's business.

The right to discriminate should be recognized as a fundamental right. If you take away the right to discriminate you have taken away a person's ability to control their own life to any extent.

[89Hen]

Again, they "may deny"...

So you agree with me. What are we discussing then?

[Skjellyfetti]

Fatties just can't catch a break these days. No one will examine their vaginas and they have to pay for two airline tickets.

Southwest Airlines has apologized to a mother and daughter who said they got rough treatment at the airport.
Kenlie Tiggeman, a 30-year-old political strategist and weight loss blogger in New York City, said it was humiliating, being told she was too fat to fly, reports CBS 2’s John Slattery.

“It was rude. It was in front of lots of people,” said Tiggeman, who’s originally from New Orleans.

Tiggeman said the incident happened in Dallas over Easter. She and her mother were told by a gate agent they each had to purchase two seats.

“And said that we were, in fact, too fat to fly, without an additional ticket,” Tiggeman said.
Yet, this was a return flight, and they hadn’t been stopped before. The gate agent said it was policy.

“I was asked what size clothes, and how much I weigh. I gave answers in front of a gate full of people, some of whom were snickering,” Tiggeman said.

Tiggeman, who once weighed 393 pounds, is down to 268 pounds.

A spokeswoman for Southwest said: “If a passenger cannot fit in a seat with the armrests down, a second seat must be purchased. If the flight is not full, that added charge will be refunded.”
But Tiggeman said she does fit in a seat.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/05/18/ ... -airlines/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I CAN FIT IN THIS SEAT JUST FINE. THIS IS DISCRIMINATION. I HAVE A HANDICAP!!!!!

[kalm]

I have a son with a definite disability (profoundly deaf). But some of the discussion above reminds me of why I still think it was a bad idea to legislate something like the Americans With Disabilities Act. Nobody should be forced to do business with anybody else, regardless of the reason. It is none of government's business.

The right to discriminate should be recognized as a fundamental right. If you take away the right to discriminate you have taken away a person's ability to control their own life to any extent.

So surely then, you also wouldn't want to limit a person's right to sue?

Should a business owner be held liable in regards to safety issues for customers or employees?

And if we live in a representative democracy why isn't this the governments business?

[D1B]

those doctors are absolutely in violation of Section 504, making them ineligible to receive any Federal funding (medicare, etc...), and ALSO opens them up to Civil Rights violations for discrimination.

I'm no attorney, but I think you're mistaken.

http://www.physiciansnews.com/law/202.html

At common law, a physician did not have a duty to treat any patient as long as a relationship between the physician and patient did not exist. This so called "no duty rule" extended to a physician’s right to refuse to treat an individual in need of emergency care as long as there was no prior relationship between the physician and the patient. From a legal perspective, physicians were free to decline to treat an individual under circumstances that prevented a physician/patient relationship from coming into existence.

This no duty rule was based on the law of contracts and the notion that, to create a physician/patient relationship and the physician’s duty to treat, both parties had to voluntarily consent. In order to establish the duty bound relationship, the physician had to act affirmatively in a way that indicated an intention to treat the patient. The relationship could be established either expressly or impliedly.

Antidiscrimination laws also have affected the circumstances when a physician may deny medical care. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits an otherwise qualified individual with a disability from being excluded from or denied benefits of any program actively receiving federal financial assistance solely by reason of the individual’s disability.

Hen, what would Jesus do? What would Jesus ask of his children?

SMFH at Hen - classic fuck who ultimately doesn't give a shit a shit bout anyone but himself. He's the type of asshole who goes to church every Sunday, a wolf in sheep's clothing, to cleanse himself of the evil deeds he performs daily in his lust for money, liquor and physical pleasure. One would think a catholic would understand the potential for evil in all men and accept in a world full of Baldy's, AZFuckheads, Tmans, Alphacunts and the rest of the members of "fuckemivegotmine" social darwinism club that the government is the only force capable protecting the poor and sick among us.

[Baldy]

Hen, what would Jesus do? What would Jesus ask of his children?

SMFH at Hen - classic fuck who ultimately doesn't give a shit a shit bout anyone but himself. He's the type of asshole who goes to church every Sunday, a wolf in sheep's clothing, to cleanse himself of the evil deeds he performs daily in his lust for money, liquor and physical pleasure. One would think a catholic would understand the potential for evil in all men and accept in a world full of Baldy's, AZFuckheads, Tmans, Alphacunts and the rest of the members of "fuckemivegotmine" social darwinism club that the government is the only force capable protecting the poor and sick among us.

Jesus would probably ask his children to get off their asses, stop stuffing their faces with Mickey D's, and quit being lazy fat sloths (not only an animal, but one of the 7 deadly sins), but what do I know?

[Skjellyfetti]

Jesus would probably ask his children to get off their asses, stop stuffing their faces with Mickey D's, and quit being lazy fat sloths (not only an animal, but one of the 7 deadly sins), but what do I know?

[D1B]

Hen, what would Jesus do? What would Jesus ask of his children?

SMFH at Hen - classic fuck who ultimately doesn't give a shit a shit bout anyone but himself. He's the type of asshole who goes to church every Sunday, a wolf in sheep's clothing, to cleanse himself of the evil deeds he performs daily in his lust for money, liquor and physical pleasure. One would think a catholic would understand the potential for evil in all men and accept in a world full of Baldy's, AZFuckheads, Tmans, Alphacunts and the rest of the members of "fuckemivegotmine" social darwinism club that the government is the only force capable protecting the poor and sick among us.

Jesus would probably ask his children to get off their asses, stop stuffing their faces with Mickey D's, and quit being lazy fat sloths (not only an animal, but one of the 7 deadly sins), but what do I know?

Baldy, you don't shit about Jesus, that's why I asked Hen.

How the fuck do you know they're lazy and don't have a medical issue? Typical fucking know it all conk.

You're wrong (again) too.

[Baldy]

Jesus would probably ask his children to get off their asses, stop stuffing their faces with Mickey D's, and quit being lazy fat sloths (not only an animal, but one of the 7 deadly sins), but what do I know?

jelly and I agree on someting. The world is definitely coming to an end soon.