What do you think; should Medicaid cover circumcision?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/23/colorado-circumcision-medicaid_n_882894.html

Quote :

Colorado To End Medicaid Coverage Of Circumcision


06/23/11 10:40 AM ET


DENVER -- Colorado will end coverage for routine circumcisions under Medicaid next month, adding to what's become a national debate over the once widely-accepted procedure.

The change, which takes effect July 1, is expected to save the state $186,500 a year.

The issue has been contentious in California, where San Francisco is set to be the first city to hold a public vote on banning circumcision.

Supporters say male circumcision is a form of genital mutilation that parents should not be able to force on their young children.

Jewish and Muslim families are challenging the San Francisco proposal in court, claiming it violates their right to practice their religion and decide what's best for their children.

It's about time! I find it ridiculous that medicaid covered this procedure in the first place. My personal feelings about infant circumcision notwithstanding, why the hell are my taxpaying dollars going towards paying for a medically unnecessary, cosmetic surgery for someone else's child? It's not even a recommended procedure by pediatricians so why would insurance cover it at all? It's a waste of MY money for medicaid to cover circumcisions. Especially if it something that I don't even agree with an would never do to my own child.

Shale wrote:

Well, good for them!

Too bad it took an economic crunch to get rid of this useless surgery.

captainbryce wrote:

It's about time! I find it ridiculous that medicaid covered this procedure in the first place. My personal feelings about infant circumcision notwithstanding, why the hell are my taxpaying dollars going towards paying for a medically unnecessary, cosmetic surgery for someone else's child? It's not even a recommended procedure by pediatricians so why would insurance cover it at all? It's a waste of MY money for medicaid to cover circumcisions. Especially if it something that I don't even agree with an would never do to my own child.

Also, let's consider this. Right now the economy is struggling and Washington (especially republicans) are trying to cut spending any which way they can. Circumcision is one of the most common surgical procedures being done in the US (most of them covered by medicaid). How much money could be saved national if medicaid no longer covered this "routine" surgery in ANY state?

$186,500 a year? So how much does that come to per prepuce?

Alan Smithee wrote:

$186,500 a year? So how much does that come to per prepuce?

Assuming that EVERY boy born in the state of Colorado is circumcised in a hospital, about $5.50 per boy per year! That's taking into accound the total number of boys born in Colorado in 2010, (34,081) and dividing that into the alleged total savings ($186,500). Of course, seeing as how the average circumcision runs from $200-$1,000, I don't see how their stats add up.

Alan Smithee wrote:

$186,500 a year? So how much does that come to per prepuce?

Apparently, circumcision is a multimillion dollar institution in the US as well.

http://www.foreskin.org/f4sale.htm

We should mandate free coverage of circumcision since we're in the business of mandating these days.

Forgiveness Man wrote:

We should mandate free coverage of circumcision since we're in the business of mandating these days.

For what reason exactly? Congress is suppossedly in the business of making laws, but there still needs to be a reason to make one in the first place.

^^^^Since we're in the business of screwing the legislative process too, we should just have it mandated by a judge or department head. And for what reason? Because they'll say so. (The only real reason anything's done lately.) Let's do it!

As I've stated before, I think it's agenda based B.S. They are going to save a whopping 186,000 a year? Wow! I just think there are more important issues they should be focused on, but okay.......

tmontyb wrote:

As I've stated before, I think it's agenda based B.S. They are going to save a whopping 186,000 a year? Wow! I just think there are more important issues they should be focused on, but okay.......

Truthfully Medicaid is cutting everything they can get away with, including eye & dental. They cut breast reduction coverage ages ago. There's even a limit to the number of doctor visits so this is not surprising. I'm sure there's more to come.

CeCe wrote:

Truthfully Medicaid is cutting everything they can get away with, including eye & dental. They cut breast reduction coverage ages ago. There's even a limit to the number of doctor visits so this is not surprising. I'm sure there's more to come.

Even those surgeries are more justifiable in most cases than circumcision. People try to get breast reductions because they need them. Eye and dental surgery is sometimes necessary as well. Circumcision is not. It's like having breast implants or nose jobs be covered by medicaid.

captainbryce wrote:

Even those surgeries are more justifiable in most cases than circumcision. People try to get breast reductions because they need them. Eye and dental surgery is sometimes necessary as well. Circumcision is not. It's like having breast implants or nose jobs be covered by medicaid.

Exactly. I'd agree if it were breast implants but some of these girls actually need the reduction for the medical problems they experience. In the long run it will cost the state more for the painkillers & back surgery they're going to need. The vision & dental still blows my mind. Circumcision is not a necessary surgery. I can't speak for other countries but certainly in this one it became the norm for many years. Thankfully the tide seems to be turning. I still believe it's the male who should decide whether or not he wants to be circumcised so I have no issue with it not being covered. Although I do question those numbers. A damn aspirin is more than 5 bucks in a hospital. Maybe the writer of the article left a number out somewhere because it doesn't make sense.

CeCe wrote:

I can't speak for other countries but certainly in this one it became the norm for many years.

Unless you're talking about the middle east, South Korea or The Phillipines, boys are not circumcised in other countries. I lived in England for 3 years and NOBODY was cut over there.

CeCe wrote:

Although I do question those numbers. A damn aspirin is more than 5 bucks in a hospital. Maybe the writer of the article left a number out somewhere because it doesn't make sense.

Circumcisions run between $400 and $1,000 on average. So yeah, those numbers are a little fudged!