Are Honors for Physicians the New Political Diploma Mill? (GOP award)

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=643826

Are Honors for Physicians the New Political Diploma Mill?

Doctor Named 'Physician of the Year' -- for a Fee
By BRIAN ROSS

- The good news reached the Jamestown, N.Y., office of Dr. Rudolph Mueller in a fax from a congressman in Washington. Dr. Mueller had been named 2004 Physician of the Year......


But to receive the award in person at a special two-day workshop in Washington last month, Mueller found out that he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. It was a disturbing discovery, he said.

"To actually buy your award and it's not from your peers or from your patients or from the community that you serve, it's really deceptive," said Mueller, author of "As Sick As It Gets: The Shocking Reality of America's Healthcare, A Diagnosis and Treatment Plan." "It's not being honest, it's just not right."

To see what the award process was all about, Mueller sent in his $1,250 contribution and ABC News paid for his travel to Washington for the scheduled events March 14-15, which included a tax-reform workshop as well as appearances by House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas, and President Bush.

Mueller soon found he was not the only winner. There were hundreds of Physicians of the Year present, many of whom found the criteria for being selected equally as opaque.
......

you do get a trillion!! )

....."It's like the old diploma mills," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a government watchdog group. "It's the kind of scam that we've seen congressional investigations look at when they take place in the private sector. But here, since members of Congress are doing it, we're not going to see any investigation."

bullshit, just another way to fill the coffers. And a pox on the doctors for being so easily bribed.

crock a shit. And NO ONE will say or do a thing about this fake award. A brainchild from non-other than the head Puke Delay. They reported on the news that Thousands of these fake awards were handed out per year and some doctors used their awards in advertising their practice. Is this not false advertising with help from the repukes?

gate"

The Repugs will not investigate their own--or if they do-it will be a slap on the hand. No ethics!

:puke:

This is outrageous. Every MD needs to know it's a scam to bilk them out of $1200 bucks.

Once all docs hear it's bogus, it's going to be a damned embarrassing thing to have your colleagues know you were suckered into sending a $1200 check!

2 Years Ago!
I'd avoid those docs at all cost-

you should NOT be seeing.

Delay has been doing this for years a google search shows years of the going on.

April 5, 2005 — The good news reached the Jamestown, N.Y., office of Dr. Rudolph Mueller in a fax from a congressman in Washington. Dr. Mueller had been named 2004 Physician of the Year.

"My secretary came running in and said, 'Dr. Rudy, look at what you've won, you're Physician of the Year,' " said Mueller, an internist.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Investigation/story?id=643826&page=1

or Dr. John the Night Tripper

or Dr. Feelgood.


Hawkeye and Trapper JOhn.

To receive his award as "Physician of the Year," Dr. Rudolph Mueller learned he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. He also learned he wasn't the only "Physician of the Year." (ABC News)

more

"But to receive the award in person at a special two-day workshop in Washington last month, Mueller found out that he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. It was a disturbing discovery, he said.

"To actually buy your award and it's not from your peers or from your patients or from the community that you serve, it's really deceptive," said Mueller, author of "As Sick As It Gets: The Shocking Reality of America's Healthcare, A Diagnosis and Treatment Plan." "It's not being honest, it's just not right."

To see what the award process was all about, Mueller sent in his $1,250 contribution and ABC News paid for his travel to Washington for the scheduled events March 14-15, which included a tax-reform workshop as well as appearances by House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas, and President Bush.

Mueller soon found he was not the only winner. There were hundreds of Physicians of the Year present, many of whom found the criteria for being selected equally as opaque."

Tom Delay in a nutshell.

It's the perfect arrangement for the Bush admin. You don't earn your credentials, you buy them.

Turning Tricks for doctors

LOL

if one went to the doctor and saw one of these awards on his wall. "Hey, doc, congratulations on the award! How much did you pay the GOP for it?" Or do you just get up and leave?

I saw this on the news earlier this evening and commented to my mom that I would love to see this on a doc's wall so I could talk some smack....

With her motherly wisdom she said that I better not stick around afterwards if he were working on me or someone I loved!

Point well taken momma.

4 out of 5 dentists recomend Crest (r circled)
The ONLY "dentists" polled were those that received money to grow their businesses.
kinda changes the meaning of 4 out of 5 doesn't it.

But since it's the Repukes?

There's hardly anything that can be done.

We must take 2006. That's all that we can do.

someone trying to sell the most absorbant towel around, you send them a $15 check, and in the mail you get a paper towel.

Isn't that false advertising? Isn't that some kind of fraud? I mean these doctors get up there and THEN learn they HAVE to pay (no choice) $1250 to get their picture with a Republican Congressman and a certificate that means absolutely nothing. How embarrassing.

Tom DeLay was the one that came up with this? Or did I hear wrong.

Well, Mr. Hot Tub Tom is really having some problems these days.

I guess it is true what they say, the lying will eventually catch up to you. Another good one, "What goes around comes around." There are more just cannot think of any right now. whateverrrrr!

Most of these doctors have made plenty of compromises to get where they are. They're ripe for the picking.

I hope all these "Physicians of the year" took the opportunity to lobby against the Medicare reduction in fees paid them beginning in 06. Tax reform should be secondary in importance to getting a reduction in your income.

Tom DeLay is increasingly radioactive. Best not to have any association with him, past or present. Especially not for money.

On the other hand ... :nopity:

I have been the recepient of this "award" for the past 5 or better years in spite of telling them to take me off their "to do" list. It is more annoying since they call in the middle of office hours and disguise their intentions well. This prompts my receptionist to pass the phone call along to me. I am glad this scam is now getting public attention.

I did report it to the state attorney general's office in Mass, but apparently it is legal. Unethical yes, but legal. So add this anyway to the growing pile of dirt to remove this man from Congress.

By the way the Republican response has not been all that sympathetic to him these days. I always feel they are plotting something when they show such "insight." The usual foreboding of the administration's next move seems to come from David Brooks. He always seems to foreshadow a coming policy("ownership society" e.g.)Has anyone else noticed that?

Its hard to keep up with the daily bullshit that the Republicans get away with.

even has an investigative reporter. Maybe DU could give him things to investigate when it gets slow? :think:

one for the so-called "Physician of the Year" award, another to be a part of the "President's Physician Advisory Panel". The second "award" was on five hundred dollars. I can't believe that anyone who was able to get through college and medical school could have fallen for that bullshit. Pitiful, I say.

My husband got a call from Delay's telemarketers saying he was to be honored with one of these "awards". I returned the call and asked a hundred questions about this award, because I knew about the scam and wanted to tie up the telemarketer as long as possible figuring that if it stopped them from scamming a few other people it was worth my time.

After almost 10 minutes on the line, I told them how surprised I was that my dear hubby was "nominated" for this award considering the fact that he was a life-long Democrat who felt that Tom Delay belonged in a federal prison rather than in Congress.

I can't believe Toxic Tom is still up to the same dirty tricks considering all the bad press he got on this scheme.

This article dates back to 2003.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3476031/

Isn't this an off-shoot of those "Business leader awards" BugMan was selling a few years ago?

Buy an award, and a photo-op with BugMan, next thing you know, your local GOP is running you for City Council or State Rep....

Of course he did start it. On the other hand Mr. George Bush is also in on the scam...

<snip>
Later that day, Bush spoke at the NRCC dinner, thanking the attendees for their "investment" in the party. "You're making a wise investment about the future of this country, an investment made upon principle, an investment made upon freedom, an investment that will help us stay a prosperous nation, and an investment that will allow each and every American to rise to his or her own God-given talents," he said.
<snip>

Of course Mr. Delay should go do like a lead balloon for this bullshit, but also the entire Republican Party. Lets spread around the guilt good and thick so it gets to all of the persons involved.

You may have already won! Examine small print for details and conditions.

April 5, 2005 — The good news reached the Jamestown, N.Y., office of Dr. Rudolph Mueller in a fax from a congressman in Washington. Mueller had been named 2004 Physician of the Year.

"My secretary came running in and said, 'Dr. Rudy, look at what you've won, you're Physician of the Year,' " said Mueller, an internist.

But to receive the award in person at a special two-day workshop in Washington last month, Mueller found out that he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. It was a disturbing discovery, he said.

"To actually buy your award and it's not from your peers or from your patients or from the community that you serve, it's really deceptive," said Mueller, author of "As Sick As It Gets: The Shocking Reality of America's Healthcare, A Diagnosis and Treatment Plan." "It's not being honest, it's just not right."

To see what the award process was all about, Mueller sent in his $1,250 contribution and ABC News paid for his travel to Washington for the scheduled events March 14-15, which included a tax-reform workshop as well as appearances by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and President Bush.

Mueller soon found he was not the only winner. There were hundreds of Physicians of the Year present, many of whom found the criteria for being selected equally as opaque.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Investigation/story?id=643826

...the same way (for donations) for a long time? I know I've seen television pieces on it.

http://blog.dccc.org/mt/archives/002350.html

Rev. William J.P. "Bill" Doubek recently received a notice of a distinct honor -- the 2004 Businessman of the Year Award.

The award is a project of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in Washington.

"I was surprised and honored for the award," said Rev. Doubek, pastor of the First Lutheran Church of Neosho. "The award is a certificate with my name on it."

<...>

"He (Rev. Doubek) is one of thousands of recipients around the country," said Carl Forti, communications director of the NRCC. "In the past, the recipients have also got a gold medal."

Here's the original story link, but it's subscription-only:
https://secure.townnews.com/shared-content/subscription/authenticate/index.php?id=fc599c9d083247f39754a425e4eb4c65&mode=start

Heard about a local poet getting an invitation to read her work at some big conference a thousand miles away. Turned out that all of the several hundred attendees also got invitations to read--and to pony up for trip expenses and the conference registration.