Medicare to cover handguns?

December 11, 2008

The FDA quickly put an end to that thought.

Apparently a company tried to get FDA approval for their handgun, which was “ideal for seniors, disabled, or others who may have dexterity limitations or difficulty sighting and controlling a traditional revolver or semi-automatic pistol.”

It was a long-shot (so to speak) for the company, as it was reported that the specially-designed gun would be approved as a medical device, and potentially covered under Medicare.



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Tagged as: Medicare

{ 2 comments }

1 7 years December 12, 2008 at 12:12 am

there is definitely no shortage of students applying to medical school period. DO or MD. My DO school gets about 4000 applications for 120 spots. I think they accept about 450?

I really can’t speculate why this texas school is doing this. I think there are some who feel D.O.s and M.D.s have become so similar in practice that there is little difference in schooling these medical students aside from the additional manipulation and biomechanic education the D.O.s get.

While I agree that we end up doing very similar jobs, I personally really do enjoy my D.O. education and feel I am getting some extra helpful hands on techniques. I think the healthcare system often dictates whether we have the time to actually use them…

I also pay the price for these extra skills with higher tuition (private), a longer school year, frequent questions of “are you really a doctor”,having to take two sets of boards (COMLEX and USMLE), and some discrimination from dinosaur M.D.s that still don’t get it.

I think a school offering both degrees might be a good way to go. They could do all the core science and didactics for the D.O.s and M.D.s in the same classrooms and then add on a component for the D.O.s covering osteopathic philosophy and manipulation.

cheers
7
http://7do.blogspot.com/

2 Anonymous December 14, 2008 at 7:01 pm

There is a certain logic there. They cover devices to help people carry out essential life functions in the face of impairment–self-defense is an essential life function when it is necessary.

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