Medical Conscience
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A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
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AMA Calls to Rein in Non Profit Hospitals
Teammates - We have been writing for quite a while about how non-profit hospitals spend far less of their revenue on charity care than for profit hospitals. The Catholic Hospital trade group (lobbyist) even had written in to the IRS tax-exempt 501 c3 code a sham form for hospitals to complete that allegedly demonstrates community care. They write off the difference between their exorbitant list prices and Medicaid reimbursement. BTW there is no minimum requirement for how much money a non profit hospital has to spend to maintain their tax exempt status.
We have been writing to Congress to fix this over and over. Now the AMA agrees.
The American Medical Association will lobby Congress to enforce greater oversight on how nonprofit hospitals comply with the community benefit requirements that accompany their tax-free status after adopting a new policy during its semiannual meeting. The 700-member AMA House of Delegates met in Orlando, Florida, from Friday through Tuesday to consider hundreds of policy recommendations, including some related to nonprofit hospitals and health insurance prior authorizations.
YOUR ADVOCACY MATTERS!!
Brain Cancer Good News
Glioblastoma is the most common kind of malignant brain tumor in adults. So far, no treatment has been able to make this aggressive tumor permanently disappear. The tumor cells are too varied, and the microenvironment is too tumor-friendly. Researchers at the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have now developed an immunotherapy that not only attacks the tumor—it also turns its microenvironment against it.
For some years now, CAR T-cells have been bringing new momentum to immunotherapies against cancer. How it works: experts take the patient's T-cells and reprogram them in the lab so that they can recognize structures on cancer cells with the help of a receptor called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Once back in the body, the T-cells hunt down and eradicate the cancer cells. This method has already been very successful in some forms of leukemia.
Trials with mice in whom the researchers implanted human glioblastoma cells have already shown that the treatment is very successful. The CAR T-cells were able to get rid of all of the cancer cells. The research team also tested the method against lymphoma, which is cancer of the lymphatic system. The treatment also appeared promising in these tests. (University of Basel)
Conscience Laws
We have a lot of problems to deal with but one that keeps cropping up over and over is the refrain “You Can’t Make Me”. It sounds childish but can be deadly. How many people chose childish behavior over public health and died during the pandemic? In the US it was more than 400,000.
Well, that phrase resonates in federal law and many state laws. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others as well as medical facilities (like Catholic or religious hospitals) whose conscience is offended by a particular accepted medical procedure or medication are legally shielded from the consequences of harming patients by withholding advice or needed care.
That is how religious hospitals turn away those who need an abortion or miscarriage management or gender care or contraception or death with dignity without consequences.
Here is a link to the Health and Human Services conscience website for your reference.
We have already seen women allowed to die because their dying fetus still has a heartbeat but the doctors and hospital staff were afraid of being sent to prison and refused to remove the dying fetus to allow the woman to live. Here is that link.
We saw a case in California where a hospital turned away a miscarrying woman with a bucket and towels and said their conscience precludes her medical care. That case is in court in California.
What if a medical professional knows the right medically accepted advice and procedure for their patient and the medical organization they work for won’t let them discuss it or provide it. THEIR CONSCIENCE IS VIOLATED. Their is very little attention in that direction.
In Washington State there is a law, SB 5140 (2021) Protecting Pregnancy and Miscarriage-Related Care that addresses conscience for those who want to provide care.
Here is the summary - Hospitals and other health care facilities may not limit medical professionals from providing treatment for pregnancy complications. No punishing doctors or staff who need to act in good conscience to help their patient.
When a medical professional needs to act in the best interest of their patient with medically sound advice backed up by scientific evidence - they should not risk punishment by their employer - and that is how Catholic and other religious hospitals keep their staff in line denying care.
I propose that we need federal protections for medical professionals who act in good conscience. Let’s remind Congress that there are medical providers with a conscience who took an oath to act to help others and we should not allow workplace retribution.
ACTION
You can send this message to Congress asking them to write legislation that protects medical providers from workplace retribution for providing sound medical advice or treatment.
On your cell phone text SIGN PCYHHV to 50409 (RESISTBOT).
Or you can reach your reps here, https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
“I am your constituent and I want you to know that there are many doctors and other health professionals who work in religious facilities and are precluded from discussing or providing needed care for their patients. The care I am discussing is medically accurate and appropriate and yet the facility will punish the provider if they act on their conscience and help the patient.
Conscience works both ways - it stops us from doing harm and it motivates us to help others. Current laws on medical conscience only work one way - they shield those who decline to help patients in need with miscarriage management, reproductive care, gender care etc.
I want you to help those providers exercise their conscience in service of their patients and in accordance of their oath to server. I want you to build legislation that protects them from workplace retribution when their conscience tells them to provide accurate and medically appropriate care.
If you need a reference here is a Washington State bill that addresses conscience for reproductive care, SB 5140 (2021) Protecting Pregnancy and Miscarriage-Related Care, that could be used as an example. Here is a link to that law, https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/600083-SB5140.pdf. “
EXTRA CREDIT ACTION
them to fill all of the outstanding vacancies that have been recommended by the president before the new administration starts. Go to this URL to URGE your senators to do this ASAP. We only have about 60 days to do it. https://act.indivisible.org/sign/tell-your-senators-fill-every-judicial-vacancy-now?source=linktree&medium=directpost
RESOURCES
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All
Physicians for a National Health Program
One Payer States
Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
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I just want to say thank you for your leadership, Alan. In these dark days, it will be easy to hang our heads and give up on doing what's right. So having each other's back is important. And I appreciate all the work you put into these posts!