Dumping Poor Patients on Public Hospitals

The dumping of emergency room patients from private to county hospitals, often causing unnecessary suffering or loss of life, will be effectively halted in California if AB 3403 passes the full Senate and is signed by the governor.

If passed, AB 3403 will create for the first time a realistic range of penalties against hospitals and physicians who put guaranteed financial compensation above human life.

Hospitals and physicians found guilty of dumping patients and endangering their lives will be liable for fines of up to $25,000/$5,000 respectively, and up to one year in jail. With the alarming increase in patient dumping in the last few years, this bill is truly a matter of life or death.

AB 3403 received five votes on Aug. 13 in the nine-member Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Why not a unanimous vote? Supporting the bill: virtually all health groups in the state--including California Hospital Assn., California Assn. of Public Hospitals, Health Officers Assn. of California, California Assn. of Interns and Residents, California Nurses Assn., California Assn. of Primary Care Clinics, Opposed to the bill: just one group, the California Medical Assn.

Why the CMA’s opposition? Narrow financial self-interests of its members. The CMA’s argument: If you want to stop dumping, pay us. Of course, a closer look at this position reveals that it essentially condemns patients to certain suffering and loss of limb and life, especially when counties simply cannot afford to pay for all indigent care provided in the private sector.

Various bills calling for new money to finance this type of emergency care should be supported, (e.g. SB 1952, which would add $1 to traffic violations). However, putting an end to the illegal and immoral practice of patient dumping should not depend on ensuring payment.

Those of us who are physicians took the Hippocratic Oath upon receiving the MD degree vowing to care for the ill (most certainly the sickest of the sick covered by AB 3403) regardless of “wallet biopsy” results.

It’s time we who are physicians re-earned the respect of our patients and the public.

For those readers who agree, we urge you to call your senators to let them know you’ll be watching their vote on AB 3403, and later on during election time.

FLOYD HUEN MD

DOROTHY GRAHAM

Oakland

Huen is vice president of the California Assn. of Interns and Residents; Graham is with the Vote Health Coalition of Alameda County.