Hawking: Ironically, My Death Panel Saved My Life

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

There's simply no way to answer that question...

I presume it was rhetorical, based on the idea that because he is a celebrity that he "must" have received special treatment...

yes it is. so do you think the average joe would have gotten the treatment?

As I say, there's no way to answer that question.

But as others have indicated Mr Hawking has been receiving NHS treatment for much of his life.

i'm asking for an opinion. 3 letters-yes 2 letters-no.

You're fishing. I see no evidence of preferential treatment.

Perhaps you do. If so, please share.

Edited August 12, 2009 by Private Pike

[HAL 9000 96]

"I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high quality treatment without which I would not have survived."

Oh, snap.

how many of those treatment do you think he would have recieved if he wasn't stephen hawking?

There's simply no way to answer that question...

I presume it was rhetorical, based on the idea that because he is a celebrity that he "must" have received special treatment...

But seriously... beyond scientific circles and science-oriented lay people... or Discovery watchers... how many recognize Dr. Hawking by name only? It would likely take a picture to get most to recognize him.

I sense more irrational and incongruous logic in the mix here.

He is a really nice guy in person.

"I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high quality treatment without which I would not have survived."

Oh, snap.

how many of those treatment do you think he would have recieved if he wasn't stephen hawking?

So imbued with the US system that you think the UK system works the same, eh?

Do you seriously believe that celebrities receive the same standard of care as everyone else?

That's what supplemental plans would be for if they so chose to seek additional coverage.

[SMOKE 1,426]

You're fishing. I see no evidence of preferential treatment.

Perhaps you do. If so, please share.

fishing for an answer. thank you for taking 30 minutes to answer NO.

[Peikko 1,575]

In the NHS, yes - I would however imagine that many rich people (celebrity or not) take out supplementary insurance to get private rooms, better food and elective surgery.

As has been pointed out however, Mr Hawking's diagnosis and initial treatment were undertaken as a regular NHS patient, he wasn't famous for anything at that time and his parents were just regular members of the GP.

him being a scientist had nothing to do with it IYO?

In fairness, though, maybe the folks at Investor's were thinking of a less eminent--and, crucially, non-British--scientist whose life the National Health Service might deem "essentially worthless."

Him being a scientist had nothing to do with what? As I understand it his condition is early onset progressive muscular dystrophy. In other words, he's suffered the consequences since early childhood.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You're fishing. I see no evidence of preferential treatment.

Perhaps you do. If so, please share.

fishing for an answer. thank you for taking 30 minutes to answer NO.

Thank you for making a personal issue out of it.

Do you seriously believe that celebrities receive the same standard of care as everyone else?

Of course they don't - that's why there's BUPA.

[SMOKE 1,426]

In the NHS, yes - I would however imagine that many rich people (celebrity or not) take out supplementary insurance to get private rooms, better food and elective surgery.

As has been pointed out however, Mr Hawking's diagnosis and initial treatment were undertaken as a regular NHS patient, he wasn't famous for anything at that time and his parents were just regular members of the GP.

him being a scientist had nothing to do with it IYO?

In fairness, though, maybe the folks at Investor's were thinking of a less eminent--and, crucially, non-British--scientist whose life the National Health Service might deem "essentially worthless."

Him being a scientist had nothing to do with what? As I understand it his condition is early onset progressive muscular dystrophy. In other words, he's suffered the consequences since early childhood.

him being treated. thank you for the childhood clarification. i do not know much of Mr. Hawking's story.

You're fishing. I see no evidence of preferential treatment.

Perhaps you do. If so, please share.

fishing for an answer. thank you for taking 30 minutes to answer NO.

Thank you for making a personal issue out of it.

its not a personal issue. i just wanted to get a Brits opinion. i don't know how the UK system works or if special consideration is given.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

In the NHS, yes - I would however imagine that many rich people (celebrity or not) take out supplementary insurance to get private rooms, better food and elective surgery.

As has been pointed out however, Mr Hawking's diagnosis and initial treatment were undertaken as a regular NHS patient, he wasn't famous for anything at that time and his parents were just regular members of the GP.

him being a scientist had nothing to do with it IYO?

In fairness, though, maybe the folks at Investor's were thinking of a less eminent--and, crucially, non-British--scientist whose life the National Health Service might deem "essentially worthless."

Him being a scientist had nothing to do with what? As I understand it his condition is early onset progressive muscular dystrophy. In other words, he's suffered the consequences since early childhood.

him being treated. thank you for the childhood clarification. i do not know much of Mr. Hawking's story.

You're fishing. I see no evidence of preferential treatment.

Perhaps you do. If so, please share.

fishing for an answer. thank you for taking 30 minutes to answer NO.

Thank you for making a personal issue out of it.

its not a personal issue. i just wanted to get a Brits opinion. i don't know how the UK system works or if special consideration is given.

If it wasn't personal Mr Smoke, that attitude displayed above would be absent.

As I told you there's no way to discuss whether Mr Hawking received any special treatment - only speculation to the effect that he must have because he's a celebrity. What exactly was it about what I said that you found so unreasonable?

[SMOKE 1,426]

If it wasn't personal Mr Smoke, that attitude displayed above would be absent.

As I told you there's no way to discuss whether Mr Hawking received any special treatment - only speculation to the effect that he must have because he's a celebrity. What exactly was it about what I said that you found so unreasonable?

Pike have you ever seen me post w/o an attitude?.....you didn't answer my question until i posted the 'yes-no'. everything is not personal or political.

[HAL 9000 96]

Can we get this b!tch fest on Springer at least?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If it wasn't personal Mr Smoke, that attitude displayed above would be absent.

As I told you there's no way to discuss whether Mr Hawking received any special treatment - only speculation to the effect that he must have because he's a celebrity. What exactly was it about what I said that you found so unreasonable?

Pike have you ever seen me post w/o an attitude?.....you didn't answer my question until i posted the 'yes-no'. everything is not personal or political.

I told you several times that there was no way to answer this beyond personal preconceptions. That isn't untrue - so surely there's no value to be had in speculation.

Why is yes/no the only acceptable answer?

[Peikko 1,575]

Steven Hawking is of course a red herring no matter what way you look at it. However, this was the thinking.

In the original piece a case was made against social health care to the effect that anyone born with the prospect of a low quality of life (as dictated by these standards of life quality points that are employed) is 'eliminated' at birth in social health care models such as the UK NHS and that such eliminations are callous, wrong, evil because they don't take into account what can be achieved by individuals born with disability - case in point Steven Hawking. Thus, social health care is the devil itself. This failed spectacularly because Steven Hawking is a UK citizen, born in the UK and despite being born in an NHS hospital to ordinary Joe UK citizens and being assessed by this 'evil socialist life standard quality of life points system evaluation' he was not 'eliminated' and did go on to achieve great things despite his disabilities.

So much that is wrong...so little time.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Steven Hawking is of course a red herring no matter what way you look at it. However, this was the thinking.

In the original piece a case was made against social health care to the effect that anyone born with the prospect of a low quality of life (as dictated by these standards of life quality points that are employed) is 'eliminated' at birth in social health care models such as the UK NHS and that such eliminations are callous, wrong, evil because they don't take into account what can be achieved by individuals born with disability - case in point Steven Hawking. Thus, social health care is the devil itself. This failed spectacularly because Steven Hawking is a UK citizen, born in the UK and despite being born in an NHS hospital to ordinary Joe UK citizens and being assessed by this 'evil socialist life standard quality of life points system evaluation' he was not 'eliminated' and did go on to achieve great things despite his disabilities.

So much that is wrong...so little time.

Perhaps that's where the Nazi comparisons originated from...

[Chica Yeyé 41]

"I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high quality treatment without which I would not have survived."

Oh, snap.

how many of those treatment do you think he would have recieved if he wasn't stephen hawking?

I wrote a paper once about how higher ed is b1tchy mean to folks with disabilities; except when you have the wits and brains of Stephen H. But that's a bit off topic I know, but the amount of assistants, TAs, blah blah that he gets rivals some small departments; which is not something ANY tenured professor with disabilities gets. Oh, and the grapevine says he is a mean SOB to his staff. Phucker.

However, when it comes to medical treatment in a Canada/UK type system, I doubt it had ####### to do with him being THE man. Everyone gets the treatment they need. And I am talking from experience.

[SMOKE 1,426]

If it wasn't personal Mr Smoke, that attitude displayed above would be absent.

As I told you there's no way to discuss whether Mr Hawking received any special treatment - only speculation to the effect that he must have because he's a celebrity. What exactly was it about what I said that you found so unreasonable?

Pike have you ever seen me post w/o an attitude?.....you didn't answer my question until i posted the 'yes-no'. everything is not personal or political.

I told you several times that there was no way to answer this beyond personal preconceptions. That isn't untrue - so surely there's no value to be had in speculation.

Why is yes/no the only acceptable answer?

you can answer anyway you want or not answer, its your choice. i wanted a yes/no answer/opinion to the question. lighten up a little. it wasn't intended to offend you.

[Peikko 1,575]

Perhaps - a little research goes a long way.

There are problems with the NHS, it's by no means perfect. It has been underfunded in the past and decisions are made on a quality of life points system, just not in the way that has been portrayed - age is one of the factors.

As has been pointed out many times, the US has one of the worst rates of survival for babies amongst industrial nations. That should be a cause for concern for US citizens as these are very preventable deaths for the most part and caused by a lack of anti-natal care but it's far more 'fun' to demonise socialism than address legitimate concenrs.