Comments on: $49.95 for a Medi-Cal physician office visit http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85478 Anonymous Wed, 07 May 2008 20:59:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85478 I don't say, "Ho-Hum...."<br/>First, doctor strikes in my state are against the law; the anti-trust laws are stacked against us. Second, as in many areas, I'm dealing with an insurance "near-monopoly" over which I have no leverage or control. Third,I have enough confidence in my skills to know I'd do very well in a free-market practice on "LonnnggIsland", but I'm practicing in the working class area where I grew up. <br/>Should doctors only work in wealthy areas? I don’t say, “Ho-Hum….”
First, doctor strikes in my state are against the law; the anti-trust laws are stacked against us. Second, as in many areas, I’m dealing with an insurance “near-monopoly” over which I have no leverage or control. Third,I have enough confidence in my skills to know I’d do very well in a free-market practice on “LonnnggIsland”, but I’m practicing in the working class area where I grew up.
Should doctors only work in wealthy areas?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85468 Anonymous Wed, 07 May 2008 04:48:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85468 Last time I checked, plumbers had to be licensed. Last time I checked, plumbers had to be licensed.

]]> By: Nurse Practitioner http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85463 Nurse Practitioner Wed, 07 May 2008 01:54:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85463 Very cute IVF. Here's a prediction of how your plumber story will play out: the lesser yet adequately trained mid-level plumbers will be happy to do the job that they studied so hard for that no one else wants. In fact, the mid-level plumbers will actually take the time to even give some preventative plumbing tips. People in need of these plumbing services will be happy that they are getting accessible and high-quality plumbing attention. <br/><br/>Yes, if this is a major plumbing job, I'm sure that the mid-level plumber will collaborate with experts in the field for a solution. After all, is an expert plumber truly needed to snake a drain?? Very cute IVF. Here’s a prediction of how your plumber story will play out: the lesser yet adequately trained mid-level plumbers will be happy to do the job that they studied so hard for that no one else wants. In fact, the mid-level plumbers will actually take the time to even give some preventative plumbing tips. People in need of these plumbing services will be happy that they are getting accessible and high-quality plumbing attention.

Yes, if this is a major plumbing job, I’m sure that the mid-level plumber will collaborate with experts in the field for a solution. After all, is an expert plumber truly needed to snake a drain??

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85458 Anonymous Wed, 07 May 2008 01:14:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85458 "the reimbursement is about $75"<br/><br/>Notice the passive tense. That is the problem. The plumber decides what to charge. You acquiesce to price fixing. <br/><br/>It is why I can get a plumber in my house but not an MD. The former sets his price at whatever rate will get him here and I can pay it or decline. The physician goes "Ho hum, lets see what the suits want to pay me. Oh well, it isn't enough to I won't do it."<br/><br/>No one can save the House of Medicine but physicians with some guts. Otherwise, patients are going to continue to get crappy service. “the reimbursement is about $75″

Notice the passive tense. That is the problem. The plumber decides what to charge. You acquiesce to price fixing.

It is why I can get a plumber in my house but not an MD. The former sets his price at whatever rate will get him here and I can pay it or decline. The physician goes “Ho hum, lets see what the suits want to pay me. Oh well, it isn’t enough to I won’t do it.”

No one can save the House of Medicine but physicians with some guts. Otherwise, patients are going to continue to get crappy service.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85451 Anonymous Tue, 06 May 2008 21:43:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85451 I make housecalls; the reimbursement is about $75. <br/>Maybe I should bring a set of wrenches I make housecalls; the reimbursement is about $75.
Maybe I should bring a set of wrenches

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85448 Anonymous Tue, 06 May 2008 18:31:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85448 Last time I had a plumbing failure, I googled what was wrong. Boy, the plumber didn't like me diagnosing the problem, but I was right :) Last time I had a plumbing failure, I googled what was wrong. Boy, the plumber didn’t like me diagnosing the problem, but I was right :)

]]> By: IVF-MD http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85446 IVF-MD Tue, 06 May 2008 15:44:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85446 If general plumbers got $49.95 per visit, you would see a big drop in applications to plumbing school by all the pre-plumbing undergrads. And those idealistic young men and women who end up going to plumbing school anyway, lured by the vision of devoting their lives to fixing the pipes of America, would eventually get disillusioned, leave general plumbing and gravitate to the higher-paying specialty plumbing positions. Then, most of the general plumbing would be taken over by lesser-trained mid-level plumbing assistant practitioners. Trust me. If general plumbers got $49.95 per visit, you would see a big drop in applications to plumbing school by all the pre-plumbing undergrads. And those idealistic young men and women who end up going to plumbing school anyway, lured by the vision of devoting their lives to fixing the pipes of America, would eventually get disillusioned, leave general plumbing and gravitate to the higher-paying specialty plumbing positions. Then, most of the general plumbing would be taken over by lesser-trained mid-level plumbing assistant practitioners. Trust me.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85444 Anonymous Tue, 06 May 2008 14:18:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85444 dear anon 8:42<br/> plumbers in my area get 175$ for a house call without counting anything for the service. Isn't that the point. If America would quit being cheap about the important cognitive aspects of health care, there would be more house calls IF YOU PAID as well as you do plumbers. (And plumbers deserve everything they get as well!) dear anon 8:42
plumbers in my area get 175$ for a house call without counting anything for the service. Isn’t that the point. If America would quit being cheap about the important cognitive aspects of health care, there would be more house calls IF YOU PAID as well as you do plumbers. (And plumbers deserve everything they get as well!)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/4995-for-medi-cal-physician-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-85443 Anonymous Tue, 06 May 2008 13:42:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/4995-for-a-medi-cal-physician-office-visit.html#comment-85443 Yes, but the plumber makes house calls. Yes, but the plumber makes house calls.

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