Doctor tells Obama voters "go elsewhere"

[CNYCacher]

Doctor tells Obama supporters: Go elsewhere for health care
A Mount Dora doctor posted a sign telling Obama health care supporters to go elsewhere.

Sign at the office door of Dr. Jack Cassell, a Mount Dora urologist. (Photo by Deirdre Lewis / April 1, 2010)

By Stephen Hudak, Orlando Sentinel

8:22 a.m. EDT, April 2, 2010

MOUNT DORA — A doctor who considers the national health-care overhaul to be bad medicine for the country posted a sign on his office door telling patients who voted for President Barack Obama to seek care "elsewhere."

"I'm not turning anybody away — that would be unethical," Dr. Jack Cassell, 56, a Mount Dora urologist and a registered Republican opposed to the health plan, told the Orlando Sentinel on Thursday. "But if they read the sign and turn the other way, so be it."

The sign reads: "If you voted for Obama … seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years."

Estella Chatman, 67, of Eustis, whose daughter snapped a photo of the typewritten sign, sent the picture to U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, the Orlando Democrat who riled Republicans last year when he characterized the GOP's idea of health care as, "If you get sick, America … Die quickly."

Chatman said she heard about the sign from a friend referred to Cassell after his physician recently died. She said her friend did not want to speak to a reporter but was dismayed by Cassell's sign.

"He's going to find another doctor," she said.

Cassell may be walking a thin line between his right to free speech and his professional obligation, said William Allen, professor of bioethics, law and medical professionalism at the University of Florida's College of Medicine.

Allen said doctors cannot refuse patients on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability, but political preference is not one of the legally protected categories specified in civil-rights law. By insisting he does not quiz his patients about their politics and has not turned away patients based on their vote, the doctor is "trying to hold onto the nub of his ethical obligation," Allen said.

"But this is pushing the limit," he said.

Cassell, who has practiced medicine in GOP-dominated Lake County since 1988, said he doesn't quiz his patients about their politics, but he also won't hide his disdain for the bill Obama signed and the lawmakers who passed it.

In his waiting room, Cassell also has provided his patients with photocopies of a health-care timeline produced by Republican leaders that outlines "major provisions" in the health-care package. The doctor put a sign above the stack of copies that reads: "This is what the morons in Washington have done to your health care. Take one, read it and vote out anyone who voted for it."

Cassell, whose lawyer wife, Leslie Campione, has declared herself a Republican candidate for Lake County commissioner, said three patients have complained, but most have been "overwhelmingly supportive" of his position.

"They know it's not good for them," he said.

Cassell, who previously served as chief of surgery at Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares, said a patient's politics would not affect his care for them, although he said he would prefer not to treat people who support the president.

"I can at least make a point," he said.

The notice on Cassell's office door could cause some patients to question his judgment or fret about the care they might receive if they don't share his political views, Allen said. He said doctors are wise to avoid public expressions that can affect the physician-patient relationship.

Erin VanSickle, spokeswoman for the Florida Medical Association, would not comment specifically.

But she noted in an e-mail to the Sentinel that "physicians are extended the same rights to free speech as every other citizen in the United States."

The outspoken Grayson described Cassell's sign as "ridiculous."

"I'm disgusted," he said. "Maybe he thinks the Hippocratic Oath says, ‘Do no good.' If this is the face of the right wing in America, it's the face of cruelty. … Why don't they change the name of the Republican Party to the Sore Loser Party?"

Stephen Hudak can be reached at shudak@orlandosentinel.com or 352-742-5930.

Copyright © 2010, Orlando Sentinel

Check the poll on the left!

[Tallpine]

How about that... a pissed-off urologist? 

[AZRedhawk44]

Another way for MD's to fight this is to refuse to accept Medicare or whatever name they give to the "Obamacare" policy as compensation.

There's no law (yet) that a doctor has to take all insurance plans presented.

Obamacare isn't worth much if most practices won't accept it as payment.

[RoadKingLarry]

I LIKE it!

[HankB]

I nominate the OP as the "Feel Good Post of the Day!"

 

[TechMan]

I nominate the OP as the "Feel Good Post of the Day!"

 

I second the motion. 

[AZRedhawk44]

I second the motion. 

Thirded.

[Ben]

It's interesting just how many doctors are publicly protesting the bill in their offices. My sister's doctor has an "Obama witch doctor" poster in his office and photocopies of it that he gives to any patients who want one. She got a copy for me, and it's not an image I would post on APS as I think it would break our rules.

The fact that so many doctors would display something like that, or what is in this thread, is really telling of how ticked off much of the medical community is -- despite all the lab-coated individuals that surrounded Obama during his push for the bill.

[Mabs2]

Thirded.

RAAAAAARGH

[Jim147]

The poll is showing what a lot of people in this country are thinking.

RAAAAAARGH

And I'll fourth it.

jim

[Monkeyleg]

And I'll fourth it.

I second the RAAAAAARGH.

[kgbsquirrel]

Current poll results:

Poll: OK for doctor to protest health-care bill by shunning Obama voters?

Lake County urologist Dr. Jack Cassell has put up a sign on his office door reading, "If you voted for Obama seek urologic care elsewhere." What do you think?

What is your reaction to Dr. Jack Cassell's actions?

    * Good for him. Obamacare will be a disaster, and we should keep fighting it. (36268 responses)
      83%

    * Get over it, Doc. Health-care reform was badly needed, and this is just more sour grapes from the GOP. (2420 responses)
      6%

    * Prescription for trouble. No matter what you think of the health-care overhaul, doctors should not impose their political views on patients. (4922 responses)
      11%

43610 total responses

(Results not scientific)

I love how they put the caveat at the bottom. Can't be having people think that the majority of persons REALLY don't want national health care, can we?

[Perd Hapley]

So 11% of people thought the doc was "imposing his views"?   

[Perd Hapley]

The poll is showing what a lot of people in this country are thinking.
And I'll fourth it.

jim

I'll first it, since no one has done that yet.

[S. Williamson]

I guess that means I'll i it. 

[Tallpine]

despite all the lab-coated individuals that surrounded Obama

Well, I think he needs some guys in white coats surrounding him ....   

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

Tallpine.

PM me for my address. You owe me a keyboard. 

[sanglant]

the video dangit this is as close as i can get. if i find better i'll add it

[taurusowner]

So 11% of people thought the doc was "imposing his views"?   

Keep in mind, there are people who thought Trijicon was "imposing religion on others" by having 2COR4:6 inscribed on the bottom of ACOGs in letter almost too small to even read.  The fact is, there is a portion of this country who believe anyone saying or doing, even thinking, anything other than what they want, is some sort of imposition that should be regulated and punished.

[S. Williamson]

Keep in mind, there are people who thought Trijicon was "imposing religion on others" by having 2COR4:6 inscribed on the bottom of ACOGs in letter almost too small to even read.  The fact is, there is a portion of this country who believe anyone saying or doing, even thinking, anything other than what they want, is some sort of imposition that should be regulated and punished.

An easy fix: change the part number. 

[Brad Johnson]

Check the poll on the left!

Currently at 76% with almost 50k votes.

Brad

[Jamisjockey]

Another way for MD's to fight this is to refuse to accept Medicare or whatever name they give to the "Obamacare" policy as compensation.

There's no law (yet) that a doctor has to take all insurance plans presented.

Obamacare isn't worth much if most practices won't accept it as payment.

I wish they'd revolt against accepting government payment.  However, it wouldn't take long for it to be forced upon them.

[kgbsquirrel]

In the 8 hours I've been at work I have watched option 3 on the poll go from 5,000 votes to 37,000 while the first and second have remained relatively static. Also noticed it doesn't restrict an IP address to one vote. 

[Mabs2]

In the 8 hours I've been at work I have watched option 3 on the poll go from 5,000 votes to 37,000 while the first and second have remained relatively static. Also noticed it doesn't restrict an IP address to one vote. 

One of the polls a little while back was getting hit by 4chan.
For the lulz.
Most of them were either foreign or didn't care or know about the bill until the day it passed.

[Ben]

So is this Grayson guy a jackass or what?

He's now taking action against the Doctor on the basis of:

His spokesman, Jurkowski, told FoxNews.com that at least one person followed the instructions on the sign and there could have been more.

"I think a reasonable person would deemed that being turned away," Jurkowski said.

So someone deciding for themselves to leave without entering is "turned away"?

I would say I hope this goes to court and the Congressman loses big time, but then of course it's the taxpayers paying his court costs.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/03/congressman-plans-file-complaint-anti-obama-doctor/