Ignorance, thy name is Obama

I'm a surgeon, a board-certified otolaryngologist who used to perform tonsillectomies, so naturally I awakened from the hypnotic slumber for a little bit during Obama's press conference last night. The man has just revealed himself as a colossal ignoramus when he was talking about that operation. First of all, most kids with sore throats are seen by pediatricians, not surgeons. The pediatrician refers children to a surgeon if he or she believes a child might benefit from surgery. There is no "kickback" for this referral possible or legal. Thereafter, the surgeon decides whether the child needs surgery, and by no means is it necessary to operate on every child thus referred. Nor is it the practice! How can Obama not know that, if he has set out to reform the entire edifice of medical care in this country? Incidentally, surgeons collect about $60 for the average tonsillectomy here in Florida. Though it is thankfully not that common, every year children die from complications of this operation, as it really is fairly major surgery. It's one of the leading causes of surgical death in children. Who wants to take on a risk like that for 60 bucks? Not me. Not exactly lining our pockets with this one, dumbass!