Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Doctors must pay for Translators?

From Fox News:

The Bush administration is threatening to yank federal money from physicians, hospitals and clinics that don't comply with a policy put in place in the prior administration that aims to help immigrants gain access to medical care.

Four years ago, President Clinton signed the executive order requiring doctors who treat Medicare and Medicaid patients to hire translators for those who don't speak English.

"The problem here is that we're required by a presidential order, without funding, to have translation in every single language requested by the patient. So this could be up to 500 languages," said Dr. Clifford Colwell, who is fighting back with thousands of other doctors who are suing the federal government, claiming the rule is unconstitutional.

Ok this is just stupid! One the administration should not just pull the funding unless they are going to also remove the rule requiring the translators. Two the rule should not exist. If you need a translator than you should have to pay for that, not the doctor, unless the doctor can not speak English… I understand that everyone should have access to health care, but that does not mean it should be free, or that I (we) should be paying for it, much less than paying for a translator!

No comments: