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Eye Surgeons

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The Times’ editorial (Feb. 26), “Eyeballing the Eye Doctors,” and the news story (Jan. 27), “Eye Surgeon’s Tip Reveals Medi-Cal Glitch,” cast a negative view upon eye surgeons. Although it was Medi-Cal’s computer contractor who made an error and overpaid some doctors, your articles describe the surgeons as being money-hungry for not quickly catching the mistake themselves.

Since it was a doctor who reported the error, you chose to glorify him as a lone heroic whistle-blower, rather than describe him as a member of a profession capable of minding its own bookkeeping. You decided upon this angle even though your own Jan. 27 story said at least two other surgeons previously reported the mistake to Medi-Cal.

Your editorial writer failed to do his homework and check with the president of the California Assn. of Ophthalmology, whose staff had diligently searched for other physicians who had reported the Medi-Cal computer error. Many other physicians reported this error by telephone to Medi-Cal and received ridiculous comments in response.

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The failure to do the necessary research before writing such an editorial is irresponsible journalism, and readers deserve much better from a paper like The Times.

SHERWIN H. SLOAN MD

President

California Assn. Ophthalmology

Mission Hills

THOMAS R. MAZZOCCO MD

Van Nuys

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