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One look at my office tells you that I’m still taking Medicare patients: The worn carpet and peeling paint give it away.

I agree with much of what this guy says, but he almost lost all credibility with the first line of the piece. As an internist (and Fox News contributer!), how much do you think he makes a year? $200K?, $300K, $400K? The latter would be my guess (if not more). And he can’t afford $5K for new carpets and paint in his office? Please.

Part of his problem is New York City. A garbage man makes close to 100K a year. Making $300K a year there is about equivalent to making $80K a year in a sane part of the country.

In the 80’s I was offered a job in NYC making $200K a year. Where I live that would have been a fortune. After looking into the cost of life and the quality of life, I told the guy I wouldn't move there for three times as much.

Why people continue to endure that place is beyond me.

I think you are wrong. I make about 130,000 before taxes. I billed 425,000. I see alot of patients. We had to borrow money to make pay roll for the first time in 30 years this month. Our overhead has gone from 54% ten years ago to 73% over all.

As an internist (and Fox News contributer!), how much do you think he makes a year? $200K?, $300K, $400K? The latter would be my guess (if not more). And he can’t afford $5K for new carpets and paint in his office? Please.

With that $200k/$300k/$400k he has office staff to pay... at least one RN, in NY, most likely no less than $50k. Then he needs a receptionist/scheduler who likely does double duty pulling and filing his patient charts, in NY, probably $30k. And thanks to the onerous federal regulations imposed on him for the privilege of participating in Medicare program, he also needs a staff member knowledgeable in coding and compliance regulations, in NY, probably as much as it costs to have an RN, $50k.

Maybe the RN does his patients' blood draws, too. If not, he needs a med. tech. to do that and the height/weight/BP stuff, and that would cost him another $30k.

And with all the money left over, he would need to pay his rent, utilities, liability/malpractice insurance, staff benefits (med. insurance, workmans comp., Social Security, etc.)

Hell, he should be rolling in the dough.
(/sarc.)