Virtual Office Attorney

In this NYTimes briefing, relatives of a now deceased detainee can now sue the United States government for lack of a meaningful medical exam while he was in custody. 

This one makes me gasp --- Cancer can be a serious disease to battle, even harder without medical intervention.  I'd like to think if I was incarcerated that I could have a proper medical examination so that I could avoid body parts from being amputated. 

Anyone have any feedback on having your penis amputated because you have no access to proper care?  What about if your husband, brother, or son had been in this situation?  Would it change your opinion? 

See the link here:  National Briefing - West - California - Suit in Detainee’s Death - NYTimes.com.

The New York Times published an article regarding some U.S. hospitals response to uninsured undocumented/illegal immigrants and legal residents who can not pay for medical care.   Unfortunately, who should bear ultimate responsibility is in a grey area. 

Should the patient pay?  What if the patient has no means to pay? 

Should the hospital pay?  Indefinitely and with no limit to costs? 

Should the patient's government pay? 

How about holding U.S. states or the U.S. federal government responsible?  If we do, what happens to state and federal taxes that in a healthcare system that is already in trouble?  I would guess taxes would have to go up.....probably astronomically.

Against this backdrop, what about the residents of the U.S. who are citizens who may not have access to care, funding and equivilent support?  What is fair to them?

Tough questions with no simple answers.  How would you decide?