Posted on 08/09/2013 11:34:32 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The patient, who is gay, doesn't have a problem with his sexual orientation listed on his medical chart, but does take issue with it being labeled a "chronic condition"
A patient said a Southern California doctor diagnosed him with "Homosexual behavior" during his first visit to the office for a check-up.
Earlier this year, Matthew Moore started seeing a new doctor who suggested he undergo a complete physical. The tests revealed he was B-12 deficient, and had high blood pressure and high cholesterol -- conditions that he called "normal for me."
When Moore, who is openly gay, went back to the Manhattan Beach office to discuss the findings, the nurse gave him the results of his physical.
Among other diagnoses, the doctor listed "Homosexual behavior (302.0)," according to medical records obtained by NBC4. "Homosexual behavior" was also listed as a chronic condition on Moore's patient plan.
"When I look up code 302.0 and its sexual deviancy or mental illness, and that code has been removed or suggested heavily not to be used since 1973," Moore said.
"My jaw was on the floor. At first, I kind of laughed, I thought, 'Here's another way that gay people are lessened and made to feel less-than,' and then as I thought about it and as I dealt with it, it angered me," Moore said.
He later returned to the office, at the suggestion of an attorney and friends, to let the doctor explain her decision. He said when asked, the doctor defended her position.
"I was dumbfounded," Moore said.
Asked how one could treat homosexuality, the doctor said that "is still up to debate" and that the sexual orientation is "still being thought of as a disease," Moore said.
Moore said he does not take issue with his sexual orientation noted on his medical chart, but he does have a problem with it listed under chronic conditions.
"Government tells us, oftentimes, that we're not equal," Moore said. "Many churches tell us that we're sinners, and now here's a medical professional telling us that we are sick. And it's gotta stop."
Unsatisfied with his doctor's response, Moore wrote a letter to the Torrance Memorial Physician Network and received an apologetic note in return, pictured at right with personal information redacted.
Moore asked for and received his $30 copay back.
"We fully appreciate your frustration and anger related to your experience and are committed to ensuring that such events are not repeated," Heidi Assigal, senior director of Torrance Health Association, Inc., wrote, in part.
"We would like to unequivocally state that the Torrance Memorial Physician Network does not view homosexuality as a disease or a chronic condition and we do not endorse or approve of the use of Code 302.0 as a diagnosis for homosexuality."
Moore said he does not plan to file a lawsuit against the doctor, who he asked remain anonymous to protect her reputation. He said he was inspired to tell his story to let others know that if something like this happens, "you have to speak up."
"If I was a 14-year-old in a small town in Indiana, where I'm from, and I had a doctor tell me or my parents that I was sick because they thought I was gay, it would've been very damaging," he said.
What tipped off the doctor was that funny walk......
Uh, if the Doc asks you about high-risk behaviors and you mention that you like to visit bath-houses every night and have sex with a dozen anonymous partners, it’s probably going to find its way into your medical history because it’s relevant.
...and the feather boa and thong.
That’s a metaphorical “you”, naturally... :-o
GOOD FOR THE DOC! The APA may be a bunch of spineless wimps, but the DSM III diagnosis is still valid.
Most gays are liberals. Liberalism is a mental disease. Ergo, It is a sound diagnosis..
He objects to it being called chronic. Does that mean he thinks it may later go away? Is that belief not against the Homosexual code of honor? If one is born with it is it not by now obviously a long lasting condition? Will he accept it if the doctor changes the diagnosis to Acute? Does he think it is cute??????
Makes me think of a very naughty joke.
Doesn't anyone find this line disturbing in the least?
They’re just inflating the role they played in the story — to make themselves sound like heroic investigative journalists. It’s likely that the (302.0)guy gave them his copy of the records — he brought the whole story to them.
No, I think we all assumed the gay troublemaker was the one providing his records to them.
He should be happy they're celebrating his deviancy.
They should have kept his co-pay as well. Was the medical service OK? Then he deserves to pay.
We want to be treated normally just like everyone else, except when we don't.
Homos are always trying to link famous figures from the past as homos such as Leonardo da Vinci. Yet they never pick anyone like Hitler or Il Duce, it's always someone with a positive history. Even if their lies were true, statistically, some of them had to be murderous thugs, and that's the normal ones or as normal as their deviancy permits.
Between the drug abuse and random sexual encounters with high risk partners, it is good information to have on file when the patient is not completely honest about the causes of high blood pressure or strange rashes where the sun doesn’t shine.
“When I look up code 302.0 and its sexual deviancy or mental illness, and that code has been removed or suggested heavily not to be used since 1973,” Moore said.
Well which is it? Has it been removed or suggested not to be used?
Since the code obviously was on the form then it has not been removed.
If you are openly homosexual then you likely displayed that perversion and this Doctor was correct.
Many churches tell us that we’re sinners
No sir. God tells you that you are a sinner.
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