Letter: Health care not a guaranteed right

Letter: Health care not a guaranteed right



James Grimes, M.D.
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 08/30/07


Editor: This is in response to a letter published on Aug. 25. I'm sure that the level of understanding expressed in the letter goes well beyond what is the short letter to the editor. It does express what I believe is a fundamental misunderstanding of our "health care system."

Health care is not a "right." It is not guaranteed to citizens by the U.S. Constitution or God. While I by no means "struggle'' to provide health care to my patients, I am hindered daily (probably hourly) by a system so burdened with regulations and restrictions that I cannot imagine extrapolating this to a national system.

The letter writer said "The U.S. is so far behind the rest of the industrial countries'' but apparently does not truly understand what this means in regard to quality, access and affordability.

I have been privileged to provide orthopedic care to this community for more than 12 years. In this time I have lectured and investigated in our country and abroad. I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of surgeons in the U.S. England, Germany, Australia, and other "industrialized countries.''

If the government elsewhere decided you are "too old'' for a hip or knee replacement, then you live out your life with painkillers (or pay out of pocket for a private doctor.) Similarly a heart treatment, transplant or medication may be too expensive and the patient has no "right'' to the provision of this health care. The patient simply doesn't receive the care. That is how you "provide health care for the citizens'' in the "rest of the industrial countries.''

James Grimes, M.D.

St. Augustine


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