Quote:
Originally posted by highthief
There is little similarity between doing liposuction and treating a gunshot wound or chemical burn.
I have no objection to military and their families receiving medical benefits as many who work in the private sector do, but plastic surgery? Surely if you are going to use "the docs need to practice" as a reason, aren't there more truly needy people out there who would benefit more?
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I understand your and view and some of the reasons for of why; but here's a couple things to consider:
1. Unless we are talking about a military dependent checking into a military ER; it's going to be the first responders that deal with the initial treatment and stabilization of the combat or hazardous duty type injuries you mentioned. (Navy Corpsmen; Army medics; and in extreme cases Air Force Pararescue) The complex operations would then be carried out in the rear Battalion Aid Stations or Life-Flighted to the nearest Hospital or Hospital Ship.
The military physicians usually owe time; which is how they got their educational costs paid for. With reguard to plastic surgeons- my view is this; alot of this can happen that can negatively change the appearence of a servicemember. In some cases actually be physically disabilitating. If priority patients have been taken care with; why not upgrade surgical skills?
I guess really the only way to truly evaluate something like this is to compare the cost of supplies the COSMEDIC procedures cost the government (because the time factor becomes less as military pesonal are actually on the time clock 24/7) vs the social benefit military families and even service members themselves would reap.
I do know that being out of standards (ie--- being to overweight) will get a person discharged from service. And yet there are instances where operations are done to preserve the ability to stay in. It would be hard for me to see lipo being done for such a reason.
I have to investigate this more before I could make a better founded comment.