Vinny,
No offense. But you are either glutten for punishment or privately wealthy. Why the heck did you become a PCP, FP? I gather some of it had to do with other issues in the business world, but still... You must be one very generous soul to give up such a living to suffer thru Med School and Residency for all "this". Shame someone like you won't reap the financial rewards that your good nature deserves. And all our friends for that matter.
Dr W,
At least you folks although your rates are stagnant, you have nice procedures to do and surguries that at least allow you to still make some amount of a living. I know your cost like ours are going up thru the roof and your malpractice must be unreal, but in primary care, all we do all day is level 3 and 4 office visits. And most of the carriers and the specialists make a joke of the relative value units by getting contracts and fee schedules that pay let's say 120% of Medicare for E&M's but 140% for procedures. So we on the primary side get it much harder while even some of our very own peers are contributing to this inequality. Try to imagine if all you did all day was level 3 and 4 office visits and lots of unpaid busy work for patients, carriers and specialists who all want what they want. Those of us on the primary side are at a breaking point. Now I don't mean to pick on you or to make an enemy of a commrade in arms, but we on our side of the street need the support of our brothers and sisters on yours. Feel like supporting the fees schedules that pay equally or better for E&M's as compared to procedural codes for starters? Fees that are 20% higher on all codes only for PCP's so our office visits may finally pay the rent? Even our own IPO's do these things and condon them. Sorry if I ruffled your feathers, but living on 40-60 bucks a visit kind of gets old very fast. It just feels like even folks like the AMA or docs in other specialties don't really give a hoot about primaries. Sorry for spouting off....
And to all of you: I promise to never give up and never give in. That is why I sign my provocative posts with "Good Night and Good Luck". Keep the faith y'all and have a great weekend....
Paul
