Comments on: Do patient demands drive up health care costs?

By: Nuclear Fire

Nuclear Fire — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:39:10 +0000

@tang: That is if you sign the insurance contracts. Bill the patient directly instead. Accept no insurance. Insurance survives only because doctors accept it.

By: andrew tang

andrew tang — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:46:08 +0000

Nuclear Fire

The problem is that doctors ARE allowed to charge whatever they want, but we are PAID whatever somebody else (medicare, insurance) determines is adequate.

The charge and actual collection are usually wildly different.

By: Eduardo Alvarado

Eduardo Alvarado — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:26 +0000

Well my dear friends, it is the same in US as it is here in Peru. We are underpaid. Doctors receive a $3/h on night shifts, most only ser family on weekends. We all know that
medicine is not ONLY vocation for patients, we newsweek incentives as well. I do love practicing medicine, but I love my family the most! We will keep doing the best for patients, but the sysyem should start doing something for us too.

By: Blake

Blake — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:56:28 +0000

I have to agree and, as a medical student, toss in to the ring the fact that at the end of 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 3+ years of residency, I will have a nice and shiny $250,000 bank note to pay off over the following decade (or three).

Also, mid-level practitioners make over $70,000 per year (which I believe they earn and deserve) with only half the education. Without a luring financial incentive while maintaining the burdening legal responsibility, the next generation (my generation) of physicians will simply go to PA school. Or better yet, Wall Street.

P.S. Don’t we want our best and brightest to go to medical school instead of Wall Street? Why did we stop incentivizing the valedictorians into medicine? What profession would we rather they pursue?

By: TrenchDoc

TrenchDoc — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:52:37 +0000

Hawk
I actually saw a 48 yr old plumber as a patient today who employes 40 people, has offices in 3 states and is a multimillionaire. All because he worked hard and got paid 100 percent of what he charged.

By: hawk

hawk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:04:34 +0000

advocate

Don’t try to influence what I make until you decide to do it yourself. four years college four years med school and three years residency make what we do expensive and worth the cost.

Not to mention the intangibles. no real income until after residency (i was 35 before i had real income), not getting to see my family due to long hours, working nights and weekends and holidays. not to mention no overtime pay, no sick leave or sick time (I have not had a sick day in 6 years, not one).

On top of this factor in hostile patients (I want it now or i will SUE you), hostile lawyers, demands from hospital admin. All of the CME (continuing education) board exams, license fees, etc.

And then realize that I dont get paid for what my time is really worth to begin with (we bill 300 dollars for a visit, if we are lucky we get paid 80). imagine if you called a plumber to your house and his bill was 300, and you only sent him a check for 80. do you think he would be happy?

By: Doc99

Doc99 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:14:03 +0000

Patient demands for expensive tests and procedures wane quickly when they learn their third party payor won’t cover them. Then they decide the test truly isn’t indicated. Unfortunately, this works against the patient when the test or procedure truly IS indicated.

By: christophil, M.D.

christophil, M.D. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:09:37 +0000

@ patientandchildadvocate – 4 years of college…4 years of medical school…3+years residency…..we are worth it!

By: Nuclear Fire

Nuclear Fire — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:29:20 +0000

@ patientandchildadvocate: Why shouldn’t doctors be allowed to charge whatever they want? This still is a free society isn’t it?

By: patientandchildadvocate

patientandchildadvocate — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:40:56 +0000

I think it is a good thing that patients are asking the questions and participating in care decisions and it does take time. The number of patients a provider can see during the day needs to be decreased to allow this important part of care to be included. Physicians should be paid by the hour by clinics or other healthcare facilities and patients given the time they need to get all their questions and concerns addressed. It should be the providers decision to see more patients which might mean overtime – with overtime pay. Wouldn’t it be easier to accept that the salary per hour you make as a provider is the actual hours you put in – even if the hourly ‘wage’ would be less than what you are making now? Physician salaries have room for adjustments – physician should accept that they do not have to (nor should they) be making as much money as they are now. I believe physician incomes have increased more then what is reasonable. Also, working less (or no more that 80 hours a week) is the best thing for your children even if it means less money. That is the real choice here and it is yours to make.