Miami, FL Doctor Practices Healthcare Reform All Can Agree On
Remember that famous scene from The Brady Bunch where Jan was spouting off about “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”?
I’m starting to feel that way about healthcare reform. It seems like everywhere I turn, it’s healthcare, healthcare, healthcare.
And if people can agree on one thing, it’s that they can’t agree on anything.
Which is why it’s so refreshing to see this story from CNN.com about Dr. Pedro Jose “Joe” Greer, a gastroenterologist in Miami, Florida who doesn’t care if his patients have the money to pay for his services.

President Obama presents Dr. Pedro Jose "Joe" Greer with Congressional Medal of Freedom. Source: Getty Images
Greer’s comments from his CNN profile are both beautiful and striking:
“I don’t know when it became socially acceptable in our country to refuse a patient because they have no funds,” he told CNN.
“It goes against all the ethics and morals that we know,” he said.
In discussing the homeless, poor and immigrants that he treats, Greer says
“We look at them as other people. ‘Those people,’ ” he said. “We’re no different. Believe me, you do a colonoscopy — all colons look the same,” he said.
I’ll admit that I have no idea what Greer’s religious affiliation may be, or if he has one at all. But regardless, in his work he’s an amazing picture of Christ and what Christian behavior should look like in a world filled with people who are poor and downtrodden and isolated and desperate.
And no matter what side of the fence you may come down on in the healthcare debate, I would think that we can all agree that Dr. Greer has the right idea.


Adam Bodendieck, 31, is a lifetime resident of St. Louis currently working in human services. He holds a BA in English from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and resides happily in Eureka with his wife, 3 boys and 7 dogs and cats. He and his wife are founders of and contributers to echad, a blog that examines what Christianity looks like in contemporary culture. They also work closely with proVISION India, a charitable organization dedicated to empowering poor and disadvantaged people throughout South Asia.
He is absolutely living, but more importantly thinking, as Christ would have him. He should give motivational talks to corporate america in his spare time to get them back on track.