Comments on: Older primary care doctors can’t retire http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Wanted: Primary Care Physicians « Adventures of a Funky Heart!http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-109182 Wanted: Primary Care Physicians « Adventures of a Funky Heart! Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:23:01 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-109182 [...] we need more Primary Care doctors. We’ve got a shortage on our hands now, so much so that older doctors can’t retire. They aren’t paid as much, so more doctors choose to be specialists. The Primary Care docs we [...] [...] we need more Primary Care doctors. We’ve got a shortage on our hands now, so much so that older doctors can’t retire. They aren’t paid as much, so more doctors choose to be specialists. The Primary Care docs we [...]

]]> By: Rezmed09http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107783 Rezmed09 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:27:45 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107783 Supremacy Clause, I think David is right on - VIP medicine is the true capitalist response to the primary care shortage. And yes appt wait list times are going up all over where I live. Why don't more docs go into VIP medicine? They certainly can, but most PCP's do not want to give up taking care of established patients - often on Medicare and Medicaid. To let go of 3/4 of your patients for those that are well heeled would take thick skin. I don't think PCP's are that capitalistic.But I think it is a point worth making: If people want the market forces to work, VIP medicine is the result and should be more common. Supremacy Clause,
I think David is right on – VIP medicine is the true capitalist response to the primary care shortage. And yes appt wait list times are going up all over where I live. Why don’t more docs go into VIP medicine? They certainly can, but most PCP’s do not want to give up taking care of established patients – often on Medicare and Medicaid. To let go of 3/4 of your patients for those that are well heeled would take thick skin. I don’t think PCP’s are that capitalistic.

But I think it is a point worth making: If people want the market forces to work, VIP medicine is the result and should be more common.

]]> By: Davidhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107720 David Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:52:06 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107720 Primary care physicians CAN increase their income due to the shortage, if they go the MDVIP route. That is the only way for them to get on the 'open' market, away from insurance company valuations of them. With 600 patients an MDVIP doc brings in $600,000, per year, plus what they get from insurances. Not a bad deal. You just have to be willing to make the switch to see how people may in fact value you. Even if you had 'only' 300 patients, you will still be doing pretty well. Primary care physicians CAN increase their income due to the shortage, if they go the MDVIP route. That is the only way for them to get on the ‘open’ market, away from insurance company valuations of them. With 600 patients an MDVIP doc brings in $600,000, per year, plus what they get from insurances. Not a bad deal. You just have to be willing to make the switch to see how people may in fact value you. Even if you had ‘only’ 300 patients, you will still be doing pretty well.

]]> By: Khttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107602 K Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:53:08 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107602 RE: "Corrolary:"Corollary."The American public sees no value in primary care, otherwise they would be willing to pay more."I pay for my insurance premiums and in return, the insurance company pays for part of my medical care when I need it. The doctors in my network have agreed to accept payment under my plan. So by paying more, do you mean that I slip the doctor $50 during the exam...or do you mean that I should pay more than the billed amount?It is a crime to use my insurance. Perhaps I should go "naked" and file bankruptcy when the bills get to much.I pay the same for a primary care visit as I do for a specialist visit. The PCP doesn't have time to evaluate my health and I see little value in establishing a relationship with one. I have good relationships with specialists for the same price.... RE: “Corrolary:”

Corollary.

“The American public sees no value in primary care, otherwise they would be willing to pay more.”

I pay for my insurance premiums and in return, the insurance company pays for part of my medical care when I need it. The doctors in my network have agreed to accept payment under my plan. So by paying more, do you mean that I slip the doctor $50 during the exam…or do you mean that I should pay more than the billed amount?

It is a crime to use my insurance. Perhaps I should go “naked” and file bankruptcy when the bills get to much.

I pay the same for a primary care visit as I do for a specialist visit. The PCP doesn’t have time to evaluate my health and I see little value in establishing a relationship with one. I have good relationships with specialists for the same price….

]]> By: family practitionerhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107519 family practitioner Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:00:51 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107519 Supremacy: I am not sure what point you are trying to make, but, yes, times to first appointment and follow ups are increasing. Supremacy: I am not sure what point you are trying to make, but, yes, times to first appointment and follow ups are increasing.

]]> By: Supremacy Claushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107515 Supremacy Claus Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:01:34 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107515 Fam: Assume you are totally correct, and market force does not operate.Are times to first appointment lengthening? How about times between follow up appointments? Fam: Assume you are totally correct, and market force does not operate.

Are times to first appointment lengthening? How about times between follow up appointments?

]]> By: family practitionerhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107490 family practitioner Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:48:20 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107490 Sorry, supremacy, but you are wrong. In a third party payor system, supply and demand economics do not apply. Corrolary: if health insurance companies are competing with each other for members, how come their rates do not go down? Or, if radiology suites are competing with each other for patients, how come the cost of an MRI does not go down? I wish it were simple, but it ain't. Sorry, supremacy, but you are wrong.
In a third party payor system, supply and demand economics do not apply.
Corrolary: if health insurance companies are competing with each other for members, how come their rates do not go down? Or, if radiology suites are competing with each other for patients, how come the cost of an MRI does not go down?
I wish it were simple, but it ain’t.

]]> By: Non-primary care MDhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107489 Non-primary care MD Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:47:56 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107489 I agree with Supremacy Claus. If the demand for primary care was that great, the price(income) should have gone up instead of down. The American public sees no value in primary care, otherwise they would be willing to pay more. You guys in primary care have let this happen by giving in to government payers and insurance companies and have no one to blame but yourselves. Quit bitching and do something about it. I would suggest dropping out of Medicare for starters I agree with Supremacy Claus. If the demand for primary care was that great, the price(income) should have gone up instead of down. The American public sees no value in primary care, otherwise they would be willing to pay more. You guys in primary care have let this happen by giving in to government payers and insurance companies and have no one to blame but yourselves. Quit bitching and do something about it. I would suggest dropping out of Medicare for starters

]]> By: Supremacy Claushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107464 Supremacy Claus Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:16:52 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107464 There is no shortage of primary care doctors. If there were a shortage, their incomes would have gone up. There is no shortage of primary care doctors. If there were a shortage, their incomes would have gone up.

]]> By: Davidhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/older-primary-care-doctors-cant-retire.html#comment-107412 David Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:46:45 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=39064#comment-107412 FormerMD - what is your secret? Did you move to Panama? FormerMD – what is your secret? Did you move to Panama?

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