Healthcare in America is changing.
The past ten years the change has not been for the better.
Demand has increased.
Supply has shrunk.
Why is this?
Health insurance has given patients access to physicians for copayments as opposed to true market fees. This is leveraged care at its finest.
The demand for primary care has gone up exponentially. But the respect we receive as physicians has shrunk.
Could the low copays have anything to do with it?
Is this good for our system?
I say No!
The present system will fail soon.
A good analogy is todays housing market and the subprime mortgage debacle. Homeowners paid very little for homes they thought they could afford. But the housing bubble artificially inflated the value of their homes. When the bubble burst, and when interest rates went up, they could no longer afford payments on their mortgage.
Our present healthcare system. Patients pay copays (subprime mortgages) for their healthcare. Healthcare costs are artificially inflated due to large overhead caused by government and insurance mismanagement. Take away the large overhead and insurance intrusion and healthcare (mortgage payments) would again be affordable.
What will happen when the insurers and government can no longer keep up with the artificially high demand?
Will they continue on the present course of price fixing and burdensome regulations that only add to the cost of care?
We need an end to leveraged healthcare.
We need a system that brings the cost of healthcare down.
We need a system that would make health insurance once again insurance, and not prepaid leveraged healthplans.
Taking money out of the system, opening up the free markets, would once again make healthcare more affordable, and cost our patients and the government less. The uninsured would once again be able to afford insurance.
But we need to first remove leveraged payments from our system!
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2 comments:
Thanks for sharing your experiences so frankly. I trying to figure out whether this model would work for my type of practice: a very mature solo consulting and primarily outpatient rheumatology practice (no primary care, HMO,Medicaid). Any thoughts?
tiger60:
My decision came after researching concierge, boutique, and continuation of the status quo.
The staus quo is a downhill adventure. Concierge or boutique were not for me or my practice.
I chose to transition into cash only to become a doctor again and to make my practice simpler without the headaches of managed care and third parties.
I offer longer appointment times, same day access, less waiting and a medical home. With freedom to choose from selfpay, medicare, wellness or retainer options.
It has worked well so far, but I am only in for 3+ months.
My suggestion is do a cost analysis, overhead slashing, and way of life analysis and see if you have the ability to do it.
If you are a good doc, and your community values you, you have a chance.
DoctorSH
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