This weekend, I heard this story:
A man, enrolled in a good health care plan, had gotten a letter from his physician that he could stay his patient only if he paid 5000 additional dollars per year. Otherwise, would he please find another doctor.
This was the second time he had to change physicians for the same reason.
Is this a true story? It was told a dinner party, to good effect. Am I unbearably naïve and idealistic to never have heard of such a thing, or have some of my readers had a similar experience? I would like to hear about it.
Without much politicking – healthy living definitely fascinates me more than the intricacies of politics – one can safely say that health care in the United States is in tough shape, and that many physicians – especially primary care physicians – are underpaid. But we don’t need extortion on top of it.
As in other professional fields – education comes to mind - bureaucracy has taken over. Yet, many doctors still care.
YOU - as a patient, a physician – tell me that the above story is not true!