Elective Surgery Is One Thing, Elective Politics Another - Washington Post

Why the Presidential Race Should Skirt The Doctor's Office
Published: October 28, 2008

A few weeks ago, as I was making rounds on the oncology floor, one of my patients asked, out of the blue, "Hey, Doc, who you gonna vote for?"

I would have expected this patient to have other questions on his mind. He's a 32-year-old writer whose leukemia had failed to remit after two rounds of chemotherapy. Now a third, more powerful regimen had dropped his white blood cell count to near zero, making him vulnerable to life-threatening infections. Read More

Equal Treatment for the Uninsured? Don't Count on It. - Washington Post

Lack of Compensation Can Tempt Doctors to Tailor Their Care to a Patient's Coverage
Published: October 14, 2008

When I walked into the hospital room of a 19-year-old woman, a foul smell all but overwhelmed me. I called a nurse to assist me and saw her, too, catch her breath.When we examined the young woman we found a chronic infection of her pelvis so painful that she resisted our slightest touch. Read More