Obama Calls For New Hospital Rules

[bonnie]

Obama must not know that most hospitals allow patients the right to determine their visitors, gay or straight. Any question at all and it is easily taken care of with a signed statement. Or so my friends,a lesbian couple tell me.

Obama calls for new hospital rules

Obama requested that Kathleen Sebelius use her rulemaking authority to require all hospitals that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to allow patients to designate visitors. Close

President Obama called on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Thursday to expand hospital visitation rights to non-family members, a step that would aid same-sex couples who are often barred from their partners’ bedsides.

In a presidential memorandum, Obama requested that Sebelius use her rulemaking authority to require all hospitals that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to respect the rights of patients to designate visitors.

He wrote that failing to respect patients’ wishes about who may visit them or make medical decisions of their behalf has “real consequences.”

“It means that doctors and nurses do not always have the best information about patients' medications and medical histories and that friends and certain family members are unable to serve as intermediaries to help communicate patients' needs,” he wrote. “It means that a stressful and at times terrifying experience for patients is senselessly compounded by indignity and unfairness. And it means that all too often, people are made to suffer or even to pass away alone, denied the comfort of companionship in their final moments while a loved one is left worrying and pacing down the hall.”

Obama said “uniquely affected are gay and lesbian Americans who are often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives” but are “unable to be there for the person they love, and unable to act as a legal surrogate if their partner is incapacitated.”

In addition, widowers are sometimes being denied the support of friends, and members of religious orders sometimes can’t let other members of their order make medical decisions on their behalf.

[Dr. Shane]

The problem I see with this is that President Obama is using Medicare and Medicaid dollars to control hospitals. I have no issue with allowing gay partners to see their sick partners in the hospital. The problem I have is the federal government attaching strings to the federal dollars and setting hospital policy. Some Catholic hospitals may not want to recognize gay unions based on their religious beliefs. So there we have President Obama violating their religious liberty. I have a problem with that. I wonder if such a Catholic hospital were to challenge this executive order, how the Supreme Court would rule.

[bonnie]

The problem I see with this is that President Obama is using Medicare and Medicaid dollars to control hospitals. I have no issue with allowing gay partners to see their sick partners in the hospital. The problem I have is the federal government attaching strings to the federal dollars and setting hospital policy. Some Catholic hospitals may not want to recognize gay unions based on their religious beliefs. So there we have President Obama violating their religious liberty. I have a problem with that. I wonder if such a Catholic hospital were to challenge this executive order, how the Supreme Court would rule.

Why would a catholic hospital have to recognize gay unions? It does not concern them as to the arrangement and wishes of any patient.

Obama is using a non-issue again

Just as he did with insurance.Claiming to have prevented losing your insurance because of a critical illness,or raising the premium thru the roof because of it.

I have no issue with allowing gay partners to see their sick partners in the hospital.

Most don't. They do not need the permission of the hospital.

They simply have to have their wishes down on paper and singed

and dated.

Obama must think it makes him look good to keep his gay vote firm

[karl]

This is yet another example of bigger government stepping in to fix a problem caused by big government.

Get rid of these people in DC!

The problem is that the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) severely curtails the sharing of medical information. Medical personel have hated it since its inception. We are now so paranoid about it that, unless we are positive it is OK with the patient, we don't tell anybody anything.

HIPPA is dangerous legislation which offers limited protection to gay and celebrity patients, but everyone else suffers for it - including the loved ones of the very people it was instituted to protect.

[bonnie]

This is yet another example of bigger government stepping in to fix a problem caused by big government.

Get rid of these people in DC!

The problem is that the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) severely curtails the sharing of medical information. Medical personel have hated it since its inception. We are now so paranoid about it that, unless we are positive it is OK with the patient, we don't tell anybody anything.

HIPPA is dangerous legislation which offers limited protection to gay and celebrity patients, but everyone else suffers for it - including the loved ones of the very people it was instituted to protect.

Among my friends is a lesbian couple. We just went thru a medical crisis with one of them. They have both signed papers giving the other full information and visitation.The patient can request anyone they choose to have access. I was given access by the patient.

On the flip side if I do not want my husbanmd to have access he can't.

I am sure Obama is after more and more control,but like some things in his Obama care he claims to be making new law and the law already exists.But it makes him look like he is actually doing something

[doug yowell]

Just yesterday my Physical Therapist friends from Oregon told me that now Medicaid REQUIRES that patients must be asked whether they feel safe at home. By their PT's???

[bonnie]

Just yesterday my Physical Therapist friends from Oregon told me that now Medicaid REQUIRES that patients must be asked whether they feel safe at home. By their PT's???

Yup,and it appears for medicare as well. When I had knee surgery I had a form to fill out and at the bottom were the questions.

Advice according to the nurse was to have form filled out without spouse present.

Very specifically asks about feeling safe,have you been struck physically,are you verbally abused.

[doug yowell]

Originally Posted By: doug yowell

Just yesterday my Physical Therapist friends from Oregon told me that now Medicaid REQUIRES that patients must be asked whether they feel safe at home. By their PT's???

Yup,and it appears for medicare as well. When I had knee surgery I had a form to fill out and at the bottom were the questions.

Advice according to the nurse was to have form filled out without spouse present.

Very specifically asks about feeling safe,have you been struck physically,are you verbally abused.

Almost makes you want to punch someone and call them bad things.I wonder if that would make your knee feel better?

[bonnie]

Quote:

Almost makes you want to punch someone and call them bad things.I wonder if that would make your knee feel better?

It did surprise me. I don't think my knee would have fared any better.LOL

I did ask the nurse if they ever thought of what might happen.

What is the point of asking if they were not going to intervene or have the battered spouse removed out of harms way.

If I answered yes ,my husband finds out and then I am sent home with him.Doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs.

I can see the reason for concern but I don't think it is under the control of the federal government

[Dr. Shane]

...Medicaid REQUIRES that patients must be asked whether they feel safe at home. By their PT's???

I don't have a problem with Medicaid stating how medical providers must deal with Medicaid's patients. I take issue with Medicaid controlling how a medical provider deals with all patients as a condition of receiving Medicaid money.