Rand Paul: Obamacare Diagnostic Codes List 'Turtle Injuries, Walking into Lampposts'

5.28.2013

Sen. Rand Paul, Obamacare foe and medical professional, says there are some strange new diagnostic codes in the healthcare law set to go into effect in January 2014.

While there are 18,000 diagnostic codes under the current system, "under Obamacare they're going to keep you healthier because there's going to be 140,000 codes," Paul said at an Iowa Lincoln Day dinner in early May.

Some in the crowd gasped at the increase. But they began to laugh when Paul, R-Ky., began outlining some of the new codes, the Daily Mail reported.

See video below.

Injuries from animals account for 312 of the new codes, he said, with 72 of them coming just from birds.

"Nine new codes are for injuries from the macaw," Paul said. "The macaw?"

And two new code are for injuries from a turtle.

"Now, you might say, 'Well, turtles can be dangerous,'" Paul said. "But why do you need two new codes? Your doctor needs to inform the government whether you've been struck by a turtle or bitten by a turtle."

Noting that some people at the event were consuming alcohol, Paul pointed out that other new codes include "walking into a lampost" and "walking into a lamppost, subsequent encounter."

"I guess that's if you don't learn," Paul said.

One that seemed to defy explanation; injuries sustained from burning water skis.




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