Transplant Surgeon Called Dibs On Steve Jobs' Home 291
theodp writes "The Commercial Appeal reports that Dr. James Eason, the surgeon who performed Steve Jobs' liver transplant, found himself grilled at length Monday by Shelby County Commission members. The Univ. of Tennessee-Methodist Transplant Institute, which Eason heads, is in a bitter dispute over the distribution of human organs. Pressed for details by Commissioners West Bunker and Terry Roland about the 2009 liver transplant that Eason performed on the late Steve Jobs, Eason acknowledged that he's now living in the Memphis home that Jobs used during his convalescence. Bunker asked, "Was that a deal cut to get him a transplant here locally?" Eason: "I understand. It's a fair question. Absolutely not." Eason said a company lined up the housing for Jobs. "I took care of him and visited him in that home. And when I learned that it was going to be going on the market, I asked him, I asked the administrator of the LLC, if I could purchase it." So, is it time for Apple to shed some light on The Mystery of Steve Jobs' Memphis Mansion? It was reported that Apple lawyer George Riley, reportedly a friend of Eason's, helped Jobs with the arrangements for the Memphis mansion, which was acquired at a bargain price of $850,000 from the State of Tennessee by the mysterious LCHG, LLC on 3/26/2009. LCHG was formed on 3/17/2009, apparently just days before Jobs received his liver (on 3/21/2010, Jobs noted he was coming up on the 1-year anniversary of his transplant). Records show that title to the mansion was transferred to Eason in May, 2011, about three months after the National Enquirer painted a grim picture of Jobs' health. LCHG, LLC was dissolved in February 2012."
Re:No idea (Score:5, Informative)
No. The issues is whether Steve arranged a kickback to the surgeon and his hospital in exchange for some preferential treatment. Did Jobs get a local (more convenient for him?) procedure, or did it go as far as being bumped up on the transplant list. If the latter, then it implies that Jobs used his money and position to get ahead of others who were also dying.
Re:No idea (Score:4, Informative)
Re:No idea (Score:2, Informative)
Re:No idea (Score:4, Informative)
Isn't that exactly how the American health care system works? I'm pretty goddamn sure that's what the republicans have been saying for years now. Those who can pay the most get the best treatment and fuck everyone else. That's it isn't it?
Re:No idea (Score:5, Informative)
depends on whether or not he sold the home at market rates or reasonably close thereto.
Just because it's a mansion doesn't mean it's actually worth a lot. We just had a friend of the family die who owned a property with 3 buildings on it, where similar properties down the street were going in the 2-2.5 million range, the one in question got just under 500k. Because as it turns out, no one had updated the electrical system since the switchover from 25 to 60 Hz power, and 75 years of bats living in ceilings doesn't do buildings any favours. Who knew?
If you read the TFA's (and god are there a lot of them) the house was, pre 2008, appraised at between 1.3 and 1.4 million. And was the mansion for the university chancellor. Jobs bought it for 850k. Which, considering memphis has seen year over year price drops of easily double digits wouldn't be a huge shock. (http://www.trulia.com/home_prices/Tennessee/Memphis-heat_map/). Also keep in mind that the Steve jobs LLC probably paid cash.
From TFA, Eason paid 850K, which is the same as the LLC paid, I think.
So what I would read into this is that housing prices for Million plus dollar homes in memphis crashed by 40% from 2008 to 2009, or at least expensive house prices crashed, and then there was the specific house in question, which, having been a chancellors mansion for the university might have only a limited clientèle of people who would actually want it. (Location maybe? I've never been to TN let alone memphis so the address means nothing to me).
So sure, Steve probably got himself a deal from the government who were and are desperate for money on a house that wasn't going up in value any time soon. Whether or not it was actually an unfair deal is much harder to say. When housing prices are falling expect to get less than you were asking, and less than you appraised for.
Re:Artificial organ scarcity (Score:4, Informative)
Re:karma? (Score:4, Informative)
There's a much bigger loophole that he exploited to get his transplant that's not even being discussed. Why are we even discussing Tennessee? Jobs lived in California. He was only on the list in Tennessee because he could afford to establish a residence in every state with a list that he wanted his name on and because he had access to a private jet to get him anywhere in the country on a moment's notice. The rest of us would be stuck waiting for a local organ to become available. If we want to ferret out corruption, why are we focusing on one doctor? Why not focus on the systematic flaws that allow the wealthy to get preferential treatment. A fairly simple law that would only allow someone to put their name on the list in only one state would make things more fair for everyone.