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! Read More
Blog: On Health. On Writing. On Life. On Everything.
Opiates
September 20, 2010
The Massachusetts Board of Registration for Medicine sends me an invitation to a day conference to learn how to prescribe opiates.
We know by now that people have switched from street drugs to prescription drugs – and that physicians who over-prescribe opiates are often the biggest users themselves.
Looks like Americans – doctors and patients alike – are in a lot of pain.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to go to the roots of the drug problem: Poverty, poor education, no outlook that your life will ever change to the better, religions that tell you are a sinner – and on the other hand overworked, burnt-out physicians who struggle to pay the bills and get their children through college?
And for both: Lack of exercise and exceedingly lousy nutrition setting up both groups to aches and pains. Even just removing dairy from their diet might set the body on the way of healing. Or going for a walk. Or turning the handle on "cold" after the hot shower. Or going to bed early enough to get a good night's sleep.
We don’t have a drug problem. We have a value problem (not more religion, please – less!) and a crazy lifestyle. And we – both groups – shun personal responsibility. Read More