[Noah930]

True, barettafan. Moses doesn't get paid by the patient, so he can't deduct the cost of services rendered like another business cost (i.e. rent). But at the same time, the inequalities are: 1) he's not getting paid for his efforts, 2) he can't say "no"--either when the patient shows up in the ER/hospital, or even when signing up for privileges at the local hospital, 3) the costs he has involved in the patient's care (like the rent he has to pay when the patient shows up in his office for post-procedure care) can't be deducted, 3.5) his malpractice insurance carrier (and malpractice ain't cheap for what he's doing--possibly in the low 6-figures annually, even with a clean record) isn't distinguishing this patient as a freebie, 4) his care for this patient precludes his ability to take care of other, paying patients, thereby actually indirectly reducing his income.

Not to mention the uncompensated stress of taking care of a medical situation like this, the social inconvenience, sleepless nights, etc.

And he still has to fret that if this person--who's probably not responsible enough to take proper medical care of herself and her baby during the pregnancy--has some sort of less than perfect baby (what if she's a smoker/druggie/drinker/malnourished/etc), his "thanks" may be in the form of a lawsuit.