Comments on: Health Care Coverage Takes a Hit

By: Dr Bob

Dr Bob — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:36:43 +0000

Moof,

True enough — but I suspect if we were more on a cash/reimburse basis, that lab would cost a lot less than $600. You would make an effort to find a lab which was cheaper, and the competition would drive down prices.

By: Moof

Moof — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:30:12 +0000

“In older, simpler times, it was quite different: you paid the physician directly, and submitted your bill for his or her services to the insurance company, who in turn sent you a check.”

Dr. Bob, that’s quite true, however that was before the day that regular standing order lab work cost over $600 per visit … not to mention the cost of office visits to primary care and specialist physicians, regular medications, and other running medical necessities. Many people can’t cough up the $1000 + a month out of pocket.

Healthcare from the perspective of a baby boomer with a chronic illness – is very frightening.

I don’t see the healthcare crisis getting any better any time soon … it’s taking too many “hits” from too many different bongs, methinks.

By: Bird Dog

Bird Dog — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:28:23 +0000

Major medical was good enough for everyone for a long time. It’s what I have, and it isn’t too expensive. Routine medican expenses should not need insurance any more than $200 fender dings should need insurance.

By: JaneMarieMD

JaneMarieMD — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 01:38:18 +0000

Congratulations to Dr Bob for a very lucid description of the current problems in healthcare in our country. Just about everyone except doctors thinks we make too much money, so it is politically easy to talk about cutting reimbursements to us. This allows politicians to avoid the really tough questions, like how to fix Social Security for example. I think about the only good thing we could hope for is a revolt by baby boomers when they see how their access is going to be constrained in the future unless they have alot of money. In the town where I practice I am one of just 2 general internists accepting new Medicare patients because the reimbursement rate is so miserably low.

By: DK

DK — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 04:05:59 +0000

One thing I fail to fully understand with some of these plans is why there has to be a tax increase on healthcare providers. Are physicians and hospitals and other allied health services doing something bad? Are they part of the problem or do they all just want to be paid a fair wage/fee for their job? In the Cali. plan I wondered why Arnie didn’t add a tax to movie industry instead. Was he afraid Hollywood would pack up and move over the increase? Healthcare providers are already getting the screw from Medicare and state aid programs. Why are politicians trying to tighten the belt even further on the very people and organizations needed to PROVIDE healthcare?