Independent (Raleigh). 08-14 May 2002.
Independent (Raleigh). 08-14 May 2002.
May 8, 2002
Dear Governor Easley and the North Carolina General Assembly:
As North Carolina healthcare professionals, parents, and taxpaying citizens, we are concerned that our state government continues to subsidize the outdated cultural practice of routine circumcision. Non-therapeutic circumcision is not recommended by any medical organization in the world, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Circumcision is not medically recommended because any purported potential or slight benefit of prophylactic circumcision is substantially outweighed by the inherent surgical risks, pain, disadvantages, complications, harm, and lifetime of function loss from circumcision.
North Carolina Medicaid wasted $1.8 million on non-therapeutic circumcisions in 2000. This nearly $2 million unwarranted expense per year should be directed towards providing for the necessary and urgent health care needs of our state's poor citizens, especially considering our current budget shortfall. Other state Medicaid programs and private insurance companies have eliminated this needless expense. It is time for North Carolina Medicaid to place the valid medical needs of our state's children ahead of endorsement and payment for a cultural tradition that offers no tangible health benefit to a child.
We join with friends and colleagues who feel that tax dollars should not be wasted on medically unnecessary procedures. Intact (not circumcised) boys are already in the majority in the West (65%), and practitioners in North Carolina report that an increasing number of parents are turning away from this painful tradition of the past and refusing this surgery for their newborns. The following Internet sites can provide you with valuable information about circumcision:
www.circumcision.org | www.nocircnc.org | https://www.cirp.org/
We thank you for your prompt attention in eliminating tax funding of cultural, non-therapeutic circumcisions.
Sincerely,
|
p("Margaret and Yutaka Baba, Hillsborough Kenneth Baker, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., Monroe David Bate, M.D., Asheville Christopher Baziuk, Yadkinville Linda Baziuk, R.N., A.A.H.C.C., Yadkinville Mark Baziuk, Yadkinville Stanley Baziuk, Yadkinville Carroll Beckham, Fayetteville Monique Bell, Hickory Portia and Jacyn Bergman, Indian Trail Nama and Michael Best, Hillsborough Lewis Bissell, M.D., Asheville Geoffrey K. Bowman, M.D., F.R.C.S., Statesville Denise Breheny, R.N., IBCLC, LCCE, Mooresville Becki Britt, C.B.E., Ft. Bragg/Fayetteville Angie Brown, Elkin Anna Brown, Matthews Victoria L. Brown, B.S., IBCLC., CCE, Walstonburg Angela Calhoun, Concord Robert Calhoun, Concord Ellen Chetwynd, R.N., B.S.N., IBCLC, Pittsboro Nancy Ciocci, L.C.S.W., I.C.C.E., CD, Carrboro Annamarie Clark, Hudson Josh Clark, Hudson Brian and CodyJo Cosper, Statesville Amber Craig, M.A., Chapel Hill Jeffrey Craig, Chapel Hill John and Meredith Cranfill, Charlotte James and Betty Cronander, Wilmington Susan Dart, Saluda |
John Dixon, Statesville Kristin Foltz, Arcadia Helen Gardiner-Parks, Charlotte Phelps Gates, Chapel Hill Lisa Goldstein, C.P.M., C.N.M., Burnsville Gabriel Goldstein, Burnsville Eric Goldstein, Charlotte Susan Hanson, L.P.N., Waxhaw Jill Stubbs Herring, P.T., M.P.T., Mooresville Ralph Herring, R.N., C.R.R.N., Mooresville Chelo Jacob, Wilmington Julia James, M.S.N., C.N.M, Charlotte John Allen Jernigan, Dunn Bevin Jett, Charlotte Grant D. Jones, Ph.D., Davidson Cynthia F Joyner, Concord Rusty and Lori Joyner, Concord Kathy and Mark Kemerait, Bostic Karin Keogh, Mooresville Melody and Marcus Kearns, Morganton Peter Krones, Ph.D., Monroe William Krueger, Winston-Salem Anne Lamkin, Hillsborough Scott and Donna Larkin, Statesville Jennifer Leitch, A.A.H.C.C., Charlotte Ken Leitch, Charlotte Keith and Beth Long, Charlotte Leslie Martin, M.S., Chapel Hill Laurin McCarley, Gastonia Leah Schroeder McGraw, M.A., Fayetteville Heyward and Gilda McKinney, Raleigh Claire Miller, L.B.M.T., Chapel Hill |
Marcus and Diana Miller, Statesville David Mouw, M.D., Asheville Barbara Navarro, C.N.M., Charlotte Robert Oliver, M.D., Sylva John Paulson, Yadkinville Ben Pernia, Charlotte Wade H. Ponder, B.S., M.S., Raleigh Lori Rankin, L.M.B.T., Durham Katherine and Dean Reganess, Mooresville Angela Reid, M.A., Raleigh Reita Reid, C.P.M., Statesville Kathleen Rogers, Ph.D., Chapel Hill Tim Shane, Morganton Kay Simonson, Gastonia Brian Small, Hillsborough Harmon L. Smith, Ph.D., Durham Leah Spencer, M.S., Pittsboro Amy Stapleford, M.Ed., L.M.B.T., Durham William S. Stewart, J.D., Chapel Hill Mark and Karen Valcourt, Hickory Kong Vue, Statesville John and Evelyn Walker, Charlotte Keith and Alice Webb, Farmville Robert Weeks, Bahama Marie and Carl Weiglieb, Troutman Virginia Welford, M.S., Hillsborough Jeffrey L. Wells, B.A., L.M.B.T., Hillsborough Kristie A.S. Wells, Hillsborough Laura White, M.S., Bahama Deb Wood, Raleigh Alvin D. Woody, R.Ph., Mooresville Dee York, Charlotte |
This letter was funded by the concerned taxpaying North Carolina citizens listed above.
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