More government control of health care in USA

[sandals]

Do you think that increased universalization of health care (or any of the proposed models that increases government presence in health care) would help or hurt the fight against circumcision? How about a system of socialized health care?

[mama_at_home]

I really have no idea, but since the AAP's official stance is that it is not medically necessary I think the circ rate would more likely go down. But that is just my first opinion and I have't given it any deep though.

[phatchristy]

There have been studies showing that circumcision actually increase medical costs...so I would seriously doubt that any governement run medical plans which were run efficiently would cover it.

[kldliam]

If the US has nationalized healthcare for all, I am sure it would only help the fight to end MGM. The same thing happened in Great Britian and the RIC rates dropped to almost nothing. I suspect all kinds of "unnecessaries" would be dropped pretty quickly if 'Uncle Sam' had to get the tab.

[glongley]

One of the speakers at the Seattle NOCIRC SYmposium in August (Lawyer Martin Novoa), put forth this idea. That when health care becomes nationalized, non-medically necessary procedures fall off the bottom of the covered list. Which of course would mean that newborn circumcision would not be covered, and the rates would plummet accordingly. This is what has happened in UK, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and in the states where Medicaid no longer covers newborn circumcision.

Yet another good reason (among MANY) for universal health care!

Gillian

[SammyJr]

Originally Posted by sandals

Do you think that increased universalization of health care (or any of the proposed models that increases government presence in health care) would help or hurt the fight against circumcision? How about a system of socialized health care?

I think a system of universal or socialized health care would help the fight against circumcision. Those types of health care systems are always looking for ways to cut corners and in a new system, circumcision would be easy to leave off the list. Its not like Medicaid where you are dealing with an entrenched beaucracy which doesn't like change. The AAP's non-recomendation of circumcision will help as well.

If there were to be serious discussions of universal health care in this country, intactivists would have to become extremely active. We'd need to inform those in charge of the costs of circumcisions - things like meatal stenosis, botched circs, and the cost of the procedure. These are all things that the program would pay for if it also paid for circs. Also, we'd need to be ready to dispell old myths like UTIs and cervical cancer and inform of proper treatments.

Will it end circumcision in this country? I think it will help, but not eliminate it because there are still people willing to fork over hundreds of dollars so their baby will be mutilated, just like them. But for people on the fence, it'll help when their insurance says that it is unnecessary.

If I were involved in setting up universal health care, I'd also set up a fund for botched circumcisions and meatal stenosis since they're the result of optional, unneeded, disfiguring surgery. Then I'd require the circumcisiors to charge the parents upfront for those potential, probable complications and pay into this fund. This would drive up the costs of circumcision and spare the taxpayers the costs of correcting for greedy doctors and ignorant or evil parents. It would also make parents think twice when they hear why their son's circ will cost thousands of dollars.

[MysteryMama]

what i would like to know is why medicaid covers circ. i have a major problem with this... that my tax dollars are contributing to circ. i think as long as medicaid covers circ, the general public will maintain the attitude that circumcision is (and should be) the norm.

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by jeannie81

what i would like to know is why medicaid covers circ. i have a major problem with this... that my tax dollars are contributing to circ. i think as long as medicaid covers circ, the general public will maintain the attitude that circumcision is (and should be) the norm.

Not all states cover it, I believe my state does not. But, in reality NO states should cover it.