Taxpayers now being forced to pay for prisoner sex changes

[Anonymous]

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/09/04/judge-orders-sex-change-operation-for-federal-prisoner/

Obama's America. What a shame. This judge should be disbarred.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, what does this have to do with "Obama's America?" That judge was nominated by Reagan.

[jsteele]

I think this quote by the judge says a lot:

“It may seem strange that in the United States citizens do not generally have a constitutional right to adequate medical care, but the Eighth Amendment promises prisoners such care."

Doctors prescribed the operation. OP, I assume that you want the government to get between a patient and his doctors?

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:I think this quote by the judge says a lot:

“It may seem strange that in the United States citizens do not generally have a constitutional right to adequate medical care, but the Eighth Amendment promises prisoners such care."

Doctors prescribed the operation. OP, I assume that you want the government to get between a patient and his doctors?

So I should pay for your sex changes and abortions? That's not adequate medical care. That's a choice.

[Anonymous]

they are talking about it as a mental illness... interesting

[Anonymous]

I am not the judge so I haven't read all the details in the case, or any of the materials, or done the countless months of preparation.

Still, I have an opinion!!1!

[Anonymous]

Scrwew up the surgery and the guy dies, cheaper than death row..........and faster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not the judge so I haven't read all the details in the case, or any of the materials, or done the countless months of preparation.

Still, I have an opinion!!1!

I guess you should. You are an American taxpayer. Or probably not since most of you DCUM anti-American posters are Europeans.

[Anonymous]

Funny, I'm pretty liberal and I certainly don't blame this on Obama or any overarching USG conspiracy. However, I also saw the news brief on this in the Post today and thought it was strange and questionable. Not having read more than 3 sentences about it, I don't have a fully formed opinion. But it does strike me as a possible overreach by the doctors and/or the judge. And no, I don't think the abortion analogy is a good one and I do think that all public and private insurance companies should be expected to cover abortion services commensurate with coverage for all other medical procedures.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:I think this quote by the judge says a lot:

“It may seem strange that in the United States citizens do not generally have a constitutional right to adequate medical care, but the Eighth Amendment promises prisoners such care."

Doctors prescribed the operation. OP, I assume that you want the government to get between a patient and his doctors?

So I should pay for your sex changes and abortions? That's not adequate medical care. That's a choice.

You shouldn't have to pay for my sex changes and abortions because I am not a prisoner. In the case that I become a prisoner, part of the responsibility that goes along with imprisoning me is to attend to my medical needs. If doctors determine a medical need for a sex change, then, yes, you need to pay for it. I agree that this seems like an strange diagnosis and I would hope that it is subjected to the review of other doctors. But, if that is the conclusion, that is the conclusion. Then, if after having had a sex change I become pregnant, I would also expect you to pay for any medically-required abortions.

Many of the reactions to this seem to be rooted in bias against transgendered people. Remove the nature of the operation from the discussion. If doctors prescribed another expensive medical procedure for a prisoner, would you all have the same objections?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/09/04/judge-orders-sex-change-operation-for-federal-prisoner/

Obama's America. What a shame. This judge should be disbarred.

WTF OP??? The truth just does not matter to a wingnut.

Chief Judge Wolf, Mark L.
Born 1946 in Boston, MA

Federal Judicial Service
Judge, U. S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Chief Judge, 2006 - present.
Nominated by Ronald Reagan on March 8, 1985, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333; Confirmed by the Senate on April 3, 1985, and received commission on April 4, 1985.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/09/04/judge-orders-sex-change-operation-for-federal-prisoner/

Obama's America. What a shame. This judge should be disbarred.

Please answer the point that this judge was nominated by SAINT REAGAN then tell me how it reflects Obama's America. Also, where does it reference Obama care? Cus the 8th amendment is like, way older than Obama care, amirite?

[Anonymous]

He's not fooling anyone with those earrings

[Anonymous]

Sex change operations are substantially cheaper than heart surgery. I don't think this is such a big deal.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:I think this quote by the judge says a lot:

“It may seem strange that in the United States citizens do not generally have a constitutional right to adequate medical care, but the Eighth Amendment promises prisoners such care."

Doctors prescribed the operation. OP, I assume that you want the government to get between a patient and his doctors?

So I should pay for your sex changes and abortions? That's not adequate medical care. That's a choice.

You shouldn't have to pay for my sex changes and abortions because I am not a prisoner. In the case that I become a prisoner, part of the responsibility that goes along with imprisoning me is to attend to my medical needs. If doctors determine a medical need for a sex change, then, yes, you need to pay for it. I agree that this seems like an strange diagnosis and I would hope that it is subjected to the review of other doctors. But, if that is the conclusion, that is the conclusion. Then, if after having had a sex change I become pregnant, I would also expect you to pay for any medically-required abortions.

Many of the reactions to this seem to be rooted in bias against transgendered people. Remove the nature of the operation from the discussion. If doctors prescribed another expensive medical procedure for a prisoner, would you all have the same objections?

Same objections? Quite possibly. I would have no problem if the prison system was run the same way as, say, Oregon's pioneering state health system, with its Prioritized List. The list is subject to changes each year. If you are not familiar, the Prioritized list, it has a whole bunch (maybe nearly all) medical procedures and a great big line somewhere on the list. Procedures above the line? paid for. Procedures below the line? not paid for. You could say that there is some cost/benefit going on here...some rationing. Pediatric procedures with high likelihood of a good outcome? paid for. Costly procedures for elderly with lots of health issues? maybe not. In other words, there is no right to unlimited healthcare because the system does not have unlimited dollars.