Martin,
Since when did a provider of healthcare services become an insurance carrier or a partner there of??? Since when did we get put in the roll of covering and insuring lives? Is this not the ultimate form of anti-free trade? Why should you provide extra visits for follow-up to anything? The less care provided the lower your costs except for those mentioned procedures?
We should never have to let the HMO withhold our money, we are not in the business of assuming "risk" as an extention of the carriers, we are the provider of end care services... Which in many states if we just fought hard enough would get many of you guys declared as "employees"!!! One day when I have some extra time (ya right...) I'm going to post the 20 things that the IRS uses to determine if someone is a private contractor or an employee and I'll tell ya right now, you guys could easily fall under either catagory. All it would take is the right person who's family member is a doc to finally tip the scales.
But even if you are all still private contractors, since when except in the CARTEL situation, would any two parties enter into a binding contract, before all the actual numbers, the fees, the costs and all the rest where clearly knocked around, and written down? Nobody else is asked, pardon me "TOLD" drafted, forced to work, actually enter into a binding contract without first knowing clearly how much are they being paid for what clearly defined services or work. This is a simple matter of what all other business relationships are all about. Only in 3rd party health insurance situations does one not know what they are going to get paid for whatever services the render, supplies they consume and use on behalf of the other party, or the work that they have done. THIS IS JUST INSANE! It's like I've been trapped in some acid trip, down the rabbit hole nightmare for four years now.
And to all of you who had the pleasure and the opportunity to at least stash away some money and resources for your kids and retirement before the entire system went to hell, try to imagine me and my Nancy, and Dr Vinny who never had that opportunity, as we try to simply survive on this insane, inhuman system. We can't pay down our debt, we can't save a dime for us or our kids, we can't afford a new car (which rust out here pretty fast, new cars are a CNY, rust belt requirement) or to fix our roof or fence, no less replace our leaky windows. This is just insane and inside out. Something has to give.
I never promised anyone to assume any of their healthcare risks and I feel it is totally insane and inappropriate to ask that any of us do. They carrier is the one selling the idea that if given a certain amount of money, they can managed and assume the risk, so they sign up employers to pay in exchange for them assuming this risk. You are "F'ing" doctors, not insurance brokers! "Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor not a stone masion." (sorry I couldn't resist)
Imagine having to assume motor vehicle repair (mechanical warrentee) or accident risk (actual motor vehicle insurance) for motorists, just so you could repair their cars whether as their regular mechanic or the autobody repair guy??? Where is this IPA, HMO or any other form of widthhold or assuming of the risk any different??? we should assume risk because we did the brake job? They may have fewer accidents with better brakes??? BULLCCHIT!
They insure the patients, we should charge what the market will allow, they can pay whatever they are willing to pay, and the patient pays the rest. And just like the guy who did Nancy's oral surgury yesterday, we PIFATOS way over a grand mind you, VISA in hand. Sure as a courtousy they submitted a claim on our behalf, but they don't PAR, the carrier will hopefully pay about 50% and so when all is said and done, we will still have paid $600-$700 bucks of this guys $1300 charge.
But now that the docs who came before guys like my wife and Vinny let this camel stick his head in the tent, now we are all stuck sleeping with it in our beds. I just want to say a really big thank-you for my falling down roof and fence, my kids not going to a decent college (at least not paid for with help from mom and day, it's state university all the way for our kids...), and last but certainly not least, my having to compete on line with 25 year old kids to buy my "new" 10 year old Jeep to replace the older of our two daily drivers.... Thanks guys, really we couldn't have done it without you. And thanks for never taking the time to go to talk to pre-med students and never warning them NOT TO GO INTO MEDICINE, NO LESS PRIMARY CARE!!! I think there should be a class action suit against all primnary care residency programs and med schools for leading this new group of sheep down the road to ruin. What a load of horseCCHIT.
Well, the IT team here needs to get some serious work done around here, so let me go. Oh that's right we can't afford an IT team, I am the IT team... How sad is that????
Good Night and Good Luck,
Paul
