[Hostage]

The author is from Washington State, north of Seattle.

United Healthcare's CEO has a salary well in excess of $200 million per year and is presently under SEC investigation for $1.9 billion (B-I-L-L-I-O-N) in backdated stock options.

[madison10]

Is United Healthcare the group who is providing the care for a fee, or is that the Washington State Health commissioner's group? The newspaper link did not work.

[Pine Mtn. Maverick]

Medicine is now at the point where insurance companies are dictating to doctors how they should practice medicine while demanding huge premiums. They are also constantly bitching to keep costs down at the expense of patient health. I find this all rather disgusting to say the least when CEO's of the HMO's are making millions per year.
Malpractice insurance isn't getting any cheaper either. I agree with you. Charging patients what they can pay works. Not dealing with insurance billings also keeps the overhead down. Working out of your home keeps costs down also.

[goldstategop]

She makes a good point. If a doctor would be willing to charge lower for one visit that what the patient pays through the insurance company, then the patient should pay in cash. Its not exactly "concierge" medicine. We don't have insurance arrangements for any other professional service. Just try getting your insurance company to pay for your attorney's services.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em, Down Hezbullies.)

[goldstategop]

$100 a month is less than my entire HMO monthly coverage! So why shouldn't doctors be allowed to provish cash only services if it can be done cheaper and better than through the insurance company. The only way we'll get a handle on rising health care costs is to encourage competition and to allow doctors to offer a variety of services on cash retainer that fits a particular budget - whether its the individual or a family.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em, Down Hezbullies.)

[Uncle Vlad]

Our family doctor says between the government (State and Federal) and the insurance companies, the healthcare industry will collapse in another two or three years. Cash-pay is the way to go.

[djf]

I posted similar info a while back about some cash - only health providers that would let you have a REAL doctors visit for like 25 bux out of pocket. You basically had only to pay them cash and sign some statement saying you would not sue them for malpractice.

The post was attacked by somebody who said it couldn't possibly be true, as no hospital would admit someone from a doctor who didn't have up to date malpractice insurance.


Back before insurance companies went whole-hog at the trough and the government got involved in health care, you could actually AFFORD to go have a regular doctors visit, or even have one come to you.

[defenderSD]

Your link doesn't work and when I went to the website I couldn't find this article. In which issue of the journal was this article published?

[Hostage]

Please fix the link to the source. Thie original was misspelled. It should be:

http://www.physicianspractice.com/

Thank you.

[rightinthemiddle]

Health care has become a vicious cycle involving everyone:

Patients who want everything for free and use health care too much, which in turn makes health care too expensive for those really needing it.

Physicians, saddled with high student loan debt, who think they should by millionaires before they are 28.

Health insurance companies determined to make huge profits.

Hospitals/Health Systems bloated with expensive and inefficient bureaucracies.

Medical schools charging students outrageous tuition.

Politicians promising benefits to the voters while under the influence of lobbyists at every turn.

Lawyers/patients pushing incredible and frivolous medical liability lawsuits.

Medical liability insurance companies determined to make profits.

Parts of the cycle have begun to crack; many medical liability companies are hurting. Physicians can't afford the liability insurance, so they won't see some patients. As usual, the problems start with lawyers, lazy consumers and bureaucracies. Those will be the last to give in to solve the problem.

Still, with all the mess, we have the best system in the world.

[capitalist229]

Implosion due in 20 years when 85,000,000 baby boomers are on Medicare consuming a projected 78% of the federal budget.

Congress will be impotent, controlled by an unstoppable AARP.

BUMP

[proudpapa]

Do you know which town?

I'm up in Bellingham and my doctor is a 79 year old. He's terrific, and we pay cash.

For the last 25 years he's had a sign in the waiting room that reads, "Warning the doctor plans to retire within 10 years."

He quit taking new patients a few years ago. And someday I'll probably have to find a new doctor.

[cyborg]

I'd love it if more doctors would accept cash. They look at you crosseyed if you say you don't have health insurance.

[HungarianGypsy]

My naturopath does her best to work with her patients. I think she takes some insurance, but she is always very willing to help her patients. She's straight forward and takes time with her patients. My children are very healthy, so they don't have a current pediatrician. When I called around for a basic physical for one, every place was going to charge $150 just for the consultation fee. On a last chance I called my doctor. She put his info. in my file and only charged $50 for the physical. While there, I overheard her secretary call someone and tell the patient that her check had been torn up and her appointment was free.

[VOA]

bump

[bmwcyle]

ping

[FormerACLUmember]

The thing I find amazing is that Doc Nancy and her husband were "not on contract with Medicare, Medicaid, or any insurance company," yet the totalitarian "state insurance commissioner decided that he did not approve of the concept of "concierge" medicine and announced that he would shut us down."

Freedom threatens to all tyrants throughout history. It is not about money. Doc Nancy gives the best medical bargain in Washington State. It is all about control and power that so threatens the bureucratic totalitarians.

[Xenalyte]

Believe me, when a patient is acutely ill, frightened, or in pain, there is nothing "kind" about forcing her to see a total stranger for her care.

I have been all three in doctors' offices. I still managed to get what I wanted, which was a) my chosen doctor b) diagnosing and c) prescribing.

Health care is active. You are never a passive recipient - or if you are, you're doing it wrong.