Harry Gross: Doctor needs an ethics injection

Dear Harry: I just visited my doctor, and I now have a big dilemma. He knows that I am on a very tight budget, so he proposed to help me pay my deductibles by adding to my bill a procedure that he did not perform. He said that this will save me several hundred dollars. Of course, the public is really paying for it. I said OK, and I signed some papers he asked for. Now, I'm having second thoughts. I sure could use the money, but I understand the penalties are severe if I get caught. I could not afford a fine, and going to jail would kill me. I called his office to tell him I changed my mind, but he was not in. The office manager said that she would hold all of my papers until the doctor and I could straighten things out. Am I going in the right direction?

What Harry says: You bet your sweet bazookie!! What he proposed (and you accepted) was as unethical as you can get. You and he committed perjury. I don't know if he has been trying to enrich himself by such schemes, but I'm certain that you're not the first patient he propositioned. I would consider very seriously finding a new doctor. If he's unethical here, it is likely that he's unethical elsewhere. There could be some very serious medical problems for you as a result. I realize that this can help you financially, but so would robbing a bank. I'm sure that's not something you would do. In addition, you're hurting all the honest patients and physicians by making Medicare more costly.

Write Harry Gross c/o the Daily News, 400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130. Harry urges all his readers to give blood - contact the American Red Cross at 800-Red Cross.