Obamacare Gets Its Own Mardi Gras Float…
Posted on 03/01/2014 7:07:48 PM PST by Kaslin
Nearly a year ago now, I took a look at an unsettling trend in medical practices in the age of Obamacare. As states struggle to keep up with restrictions and fiscal strains under the provisions of the new law, people were looking to both cut costs and make up for a decreasing number of doctors. One area which was being considered was lowering the bar for who could be licensed to perform certain practices. This was of particular concern in the area of eye care, where Kentucky was looking at expanding the role of optometrists (who are not medical doctors), allowing them to perform certain procedures typically left to ophthalmologists.
It seems that this trend has not gone away as Obamacare gears up to full speed, and a similar move is now under consideration in nearby Tennessee.
60 Plus Association, the nation’s leading conservative senior advocate organization is calling on Tennessee lawmakers to oppose House Bill 555 and Senate Bill 220. These bills would allow optometrists – who are not medical doctors and do not go through surgical residency training– to inject anesthesia into the tissues surrounding the eye and perform scalpel surgery on the eyelid. The proposal to expand the legal scope of practice by non-medical eye care providers follows along a similar path that optometrists and legislators in California are currently pursuing in their implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as ObamaCare…
Jim Martin, Chairman of 60 Plus, explained that among the many problems related with Obamacare, it is resulting in states considering proposals to re-define who can practice medicine and surgery. “It’s one thing for politicians in California to be pushing these radical proposals to implement Obamacare, but why would lawmakers in Tennessee even consider similar legislation that dumbs down patient safety standards,” Martin said. “Our seniors were promised we could keep our health plans and our doctors. Neither promise rang true. But what is true is that Obamacare is tempting states into legislating a new type of doctor or surgeon, one that doesn’t have to go through medical school or residency to perform surgery, but rather to the state legislature instead.
As the article mentions, there has been a similar move underway in California, and it’s no less controversial there. They tried the same thing in Louisiana last year, but the public outcry was such that it was abandoned by its own sponsor. While the temptation to lower the bar and make up for shortfalls under Obamacare is obviously compelling for legislatures, it’s hard to find any unbiased observer who thinks this is a good idea.
I would like to stress yet again that this is not a knock against optometrists. I see one myself on a yearly basis and they do very important work. But if they don’t have the same level of training as an ophthalmologist in terms of performing surgical procedures or the duties of an anesthesiologist, do we really want to begin assigning them this work simply because a new federal law is driving qualified professionals out of the marketplace? That sounds like a very dodgy tradeoff.
Gee… if only someone had warned us about all of this before they voted the law into place. (/sarc)
My brother’s girlfriend is a “lowly” LPN. She had trouble finding work for years and settled for on and off work in clinics and home care.
With Obamacare, she’s got hospitals offering her jobs where she’s being asked to do things above and beyond any training or education she’s ever received such as phlebotomy, catheterization, and even basic Dx. She’s terrified and has actually filed complaints with the local nursing boards with little coming of it.
Coming soon: the nurse will see you now.
In CA, Midwives can perform Abortions.
Bump later read
Good article. Yes optometrists are great at what they do. They are NOT surgeons or iv trained. I know some and not a one wants any of this expansion of the sole of practice.
LPNs just like aides are most definitely NOT ‘lowly’. They serve a wonderful purpose in making sure patients are well cared for. She too has a license that must be protected and as an ethical worker she should be screaming to high heaven (and every one up the line) about the over stepping of scope of practice.
I know RNs who would be more than a little aggravated to ask an LPN to do their job for them. Just as doctors are jealously guarding their scope of practice so do nurses.... so should LPNs
I’m an EMT or used to be. What can I get a job doing? Always wanted to try my hand at brain surgery. Maybe as a consultant for breast implants?
Obamacare Gets Its Own Mardi Gras Float…
We have a new method of abortion covered thru crapcare it’s called “wire hanger”
The Affordable Care Act will be remembered as the Kenyan witch doctor importation act. Throttle two chickens and see me in the morning.
I deliberately quoted LPN to show that I do not deign to call them such. She sees it as more of a handicap than a hand up. Just a few years ago, LPNs were fading away as most hospitals feverishly snapped up RNs, BSNs, and ARNPs to fill their rolls. Now that Obamacare is gutting the medical field, they need any hands they can get.
Our nation’s hospitals are going to wind up looking like Army field hospitals in the middle of a war zone soon enough.
Ahhhh a chance for a second career ;)
Or even worse like NHS hospitals in England
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