Category Archives: Health Care

Pitchforks

Posted on February 20, 2025 by ddxdx

Congressional Republicans have to come up with some good ideas fast, since the shutdown is looming in a few weeks. One of the ideas floated has to do with cutting Medicaid. So maybe the Idaho legislature is going off halfcocked, … Continue reading →

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Coding Mastodons

Posted on January 28, 2025 by ddxdx

Coding Mastodons Sid and his partners sat around the conference table upstairs from the clinic. They met monthly at 6:30 AM so they could dispense with the clinic business and go off to hospital rounds and then get back to … Continue reading →

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Bootstraps

Posted on December 4, 2024 by ddxdx

We all make judgements. We should. But when judgements are made by the people elected to govern us, we should be paying attention. Because those judgements are, by their representative power, your and my judgements, even if some of us … Continue reading →

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Consent

Posted on May 1, 2024 by ddxdx

Blanche took Dennis to the doctor’s office for his sports physical. She had mixed feelings about him playing football. She knew he really wanted to join the other guys in the effort. It is a little school, and they need … Continue reading →

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Deal

Posted on March 26, 2024 by ddxdx

It seems Republicans everywhere want to have work requirements for people who receive Medicaid health insurance. Our governor has said he’s on board, as has the interim director of the Department of Health and Welfare. The legislature has long argued … Continue reading →

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Help

Posted on March 7, 2024 by ddxdx

I always tried to help my patients. That didn’t mean always giving them what they wanted. I was trained to look to the goal of health. And then there is the law. It seems the doctor patient relationship is in … Continue reading →

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Everybody Knows

Posted on March 29, 2023 by ddxdx

When a majority can pass a law that says broad and powerful things, then ignore those noble sentiments, everybody knows the deck is stacked. That’s how it goes. Everybody knows. Our Idaho legislature has done such. I ask you to … Continue reading →

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The Idaho Herd

Posted on March 24, 2021 by ddxdx

Despite the behavior of most Idaho legislators, not wearing masks, umbrage about social distancing, it seems many Idahoans have taken COVID seriously. Folks are getting immunized. So far, about 22% of the state’s population, 372K people have received an immunization. … Continue reading →

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Rationing Health Care

Posted on December 3, 2020 by ddxdx

Earlier this month, as the curve of Covid cases climbed nationally, but specifically, here in Idaho, hospital officials warned of the possibility of rationing health care. Some hospitals have closed their ICUs and diverted patients, and had significant trouble finding … Continue reading →

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Inspiration

Posted on July 8, 2020 by ddxdx

I was mostly tired in medical school, not inspired. But I remember one small part of just one of hundreds of lectures and it has stuck with me to this day. It was the mid 1980’s and Medicare had instituted … Continue reading →

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