Well, yes, it reminds me that what I am doing is valuable, and that I choose to be charitable, rather than leaving me feeling used. I like being charitable; I hate feeling "taken." And, much more of the time I actually collect my "usual and customary" fee from non-indigent patients. If I accept the view that my fee is actually the lower value, then that's all can hope to collect ever.


David Grauman MD
Department of Medicine
Commonwealth Health Center
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands