Regarding the Jan. 5 article about the Feds' challenge to Deborah Heart and Lung Center of New Jersey's free-care policy:

I believe Medicare is a benefit, paid for by taxes and available to any qualifying citizen. The government has no right at all to determine where that money is spent - provided that it is spent in accordance with the benefit provisions and the concept of any licensed and willing provider. The fact that the co-pay is underwritten by charitable contributions is no business of any one at all. Contrary to the stated fear that this "gives Deborah Hospital an unfair competitive advantage", I would reply that any charity provides a relief of the financial burden to the individual and that such behavior is to be encouraged. In fact, the "able" beneficiaries are substantial contributors to this well-established charity. It is not the government's money, and not the hospital's money to be manipulated for any reason.

Don't our inspectors general have anything better to do than to misapply and misinterpret rules that obstruct our charitable institutions rather than encourage and support them ?

Clinical Freedom: http://clinicalfreedom.org/

clinicalfreedom: "the ability of the patient and the physician to do all that is medically necessary without interference".