Bright Flourescent, yuh? You and I must be alike some how. Yes the Co-Pays in advance is our new policy too, but it's the carriers that make my blood boil. No other professional that I can think of has to be bargined down, by some other 3rd party that has less than perfect intentions towards both the professional or the end consumer, our patients. The "Free Market" arguement that is used against providers falls apart right there. Unless we par with this 3rd party then we can not have free access to the covered lives in their plans. The consumer goes to those who par. Unlike Autobody shops and food stamps. The customer still have free choice to go where ever they really want.
I was just thinking about this, this morning. We should get paid more in a "Food Stamps" kind of way. Sure you par with food stamps, but the consumer gets to choose where they shop, based on whatever reasons they care use, and the store still gets to charge whatever price they see fit, based on market forces for their products or services. Unlike us, the food stamp stores don't get told that they "may" or "may not" get paid even if they did make a sale and they still get to charge all customers the rates that they themselves set based on the previously stated market rates. These stores don't get told that they must charge the food stamp customers $1.00 for the gal. of milk that they charge everybody else $2.50 for, so that they end up lossing money on all their food stamp customers. Now at least that is almost a real free market. You just can't charge them more, but you can charge what ever you deem appropriate and all customers truly get charged and we truly get paid the same no matter who walks thru the door.
I think it's a great analogy, because both are gov't programs that assist poor and disabled folks get something important that we as a society all agree that they need help getting. Why can't we be treated at least as well as an F'ing Super Market??? Is that really asking so much, for folks who went to Med School and Residency, who gave up 8-12 years of their personal and professional life to aquire the skills they need to perform their important jobs, while missing out on at least a middle class level of pay while studing during that period of time?
I'm sorry, but if we had this to do over again, I think Nancy and I would be much better off as two High School teachers. Full pay, full bennies, pension, and our summers off with our kids!!! Think about that for a moment. Right now I could be in my Jeep teaching my kids great things at Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and a bunch of other great places and experiences, with summer pay. Talk among yourselves...I'm too P.O.'ed.
"Good Night and Good Luck"
Paul
