New senator wants to keep practicing medicine
Freshman Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, wants to keep seeing patients and performing surgeries while he's in office but ethics rules prohibit collecting money from outside employment, according to this story in Politico.
Paul is an ophthamologist and said he'd lose his skills if he stops practicing. And giving away services is tough considering he still has to pay for expensive equipment and liability insurance.
Others have tried in the past to get the ban lifted, including Sen. Tim Coburn, an obstetrician and Oklahoma Republican. But the Senate hasn't budged on pay, though the lawmakers can work in not-for-profit hospitals and not be personally compensated.
What do you think? Would allowing these doctors to accept pay open the floodgates? Is doctoring okay but not consulting, or selling real estate or practicing law?
