OT Reply//Re: OT: anyone denied health care for child b/c of no vaccines?

March 1, 2010

>

> My niece was denied cleft lip surgery at Shriners in Chicago because she was

not vaccinated. Her family does not have insurance and Shriner's had okayed her

for the surgery knowing she was unvaccinated then changed their tune refusing

about a week before the surgery was to take place. She ended up having

8af

the surgery elsewhere.

> S S

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY; Not a case denied but..the children's hospital nearly always asks if 'he'

is current on his immunizations. He hasn't had one in a number of years. At one

time, he had an exemption from his local Dr. Mother always says he is 'as far as

she knows' and they don't question. I'm sure they're aware of the autism/vaccine

controversies, what hospital could not be? But, not sure they ever look back

far enough in his file to see the Dr's exemption either.

As for Shrine care, they are a Service org., I'd liken their service to the

other missionary services, secular or religiuos and I'd bet they are all under

the auspicies of the Fed. gov't. requirements...so they may administer vaccines

to 'catch up'. Now, if the child has already gone years w/o and not had that

demand put on them before, I'd also question why now? If your niece has an

exemption of any kind, on file anywhere, was it presented to the Shrine reps?

And did the family ask why this was Their medical requirement? I can imagine

what they'd say but just wondered what, if, they did state some specific reasons

why they would Withhold medical treatment because of no immunizations? Also

wondering if that's a legal point they could be advised on, even after the fact

that surgery was done elsewhere? It just doesn't seem legal to refuse after

accepting the case...let alone humanitrian.

A friend had a child who was severly affected in many ways..he was a true basket

case. They needed more medicals than Medicaid, welfare, whatever could provide,

so I suggested Shriner's. They went to the hometown application process day.

They were then refused aid...something about him being too severly in need of

medicals...and That didn't seem congruous to me either. They were getting help

from the children's hosp., Medicaid, etc. and might have been denied because

they had these other sources...It's been 20 years since then, no longer sure of

any other exact reason. I think the Mother was trying to get him more frequent

medical help, not the every 3 to 6 months she had then.

I suspect that all service organizations will have rules and regs that are in

line with gov't requirements whether they're religious or secular.

grandma peg

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