Doctor's Office Closes Up Shop Without Warning (Atlas Shrugs in CT)

NBCConnecticut.com ^ | Jun 19, 2010 | AMANDA RAUS

[raybbr]

Updated 12:15 AM EDT, Sat, Jun 19, 2010

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Laura Wojcik's little girl, Elizabeth, is due Saturday. So imagine her surprise when she learned she'd have to find another doctor for the delivery and find one in just one day.

"I was pretty upset because I love going here and everything. They're good doctors, and then I had to change," said Wojcik.

A doctor from the Norwich OB-GYN Group will be on call this weekend, but inside the office, the waiting room is empty, and there are no doctors in the exam rooms. The office stopped taking patients Thursday when it decided it could no longer meet the financial demands of running the practice.

"We've had a reduction in reimbursement from the state-funded insurances, because the budget situation, things had slowed down, so April, May were very slow, and June continued to be slow," said Bernadette Grecki, the practice administrator.

Add to that the payments from the largest state-funded insurance provider wouldn't be arriving till July, and the office says it had no choice but to close.

"It was too much for the doctor. He realized he couldn't keep funding the practice," said Grecki.

The group says it is working with other OB-GYN's in the area to accommodate patients, and the files of pregnant patients who are at 32 weeks or more have already been transferred to Backus Hospital, so doctors will be prepared when the women go into labor.

[Redcloak]

I’m so glad I’m reading Atlas Shrugged.

Kinda spooky, these days, isn't it?

[netmilsmom]

IT IS!

[goodnesswins]

OOOHHHHH.....you brought up one of my PET PEEVES.....CPT codes........It’s VERY interesteing learning how to work the Commie Pinko Technology (CPT’s).....a real game at our house....

[reader25]

No surprise here. I work with several doctors offices and more than a few will be closing within the next couple of years. Those close to retirement will retire early or go into another line of work. Others who still want to treat patients will join hospitals or larger doctor’s organizations (contract positions). Bottom line is fewer American doctors, more foreign doctors. Everyone will be put through a government clinic for treatment. Specialized treatment will have a long waiting list as they do in the UK and Canada. Mortality rates will rise dramatically due to lack of services and quality of care provided. Regardless of what they say all specialized treatment will be determined by panel of bureaucrats who sole job will be to enforce cost/benefit model for treatment. Explanation: If you are still working and paying taxes you have a better chance of getting treatment than if you are 68 and retired. No benefit (taxes) if retired, they will send you home with some pills.

[PA Engineer]

Atlas shrugs, yeah sure. Those MDs were likely Zero voters.

Do you have a link for that? Every doctor I know was against zero and obamacare.

[PA Engineer]

So how is he ever going to survive if he's not raking in over $400K a year anymore?

Besides your very questionable assumption (very few doctors earn anywhere near that), why are you so sinfully envious of others?

[PA Engineer]

Given that CT went 61% anti American in 2008 I will continue to generalize, as is appropriate.

You should study up on your fallacious reasoning skills here.

[I see my hands]

CT 2008:

How many doctors do you know?

[PA Engineer]

The doctor isn't employing anybody or creating any jobs.

The Doctor's entire staff is paid from his billing. The office rent, insurance (including massively high malpractice lawyer tax), medical supplies, utilities, supplies, billing and many other costs are covered from that same invoice.

Sounds more like he just abandoned them to fend for themselves.

Versus paying them with air? Maybe he will pay them with dreams of hope and change?

Heck, he didn't even stick around long enough to be interviewed for this article.

I think if I watched a fascist dictatorship destroy my life's work I would not stick around to discuss it with sycophants such as yourself.

Willie? Did you ever think that your entire life was nothing more than a warning to others?

[PA Engineer]

And I've seen the detailed itemized bills for what it cost to implant a defibrilator in my chest.

Do you mean what was billed or WHAT WAS PAID?

[PA Engineer]

Here is the citation backing up the claim I made.

That is not a link to the breakdown on how doctors voted. Where is the link?

[PA Engineer]

most of us would pay cash if the dr. office visits were less costly

Most doctors would accept lower tier cash payments, but the law does not allow it for those in Medicaid/Medicare. Thank "Peter Stark" for the hell that medicine has become.

[SaraJohnson]

Socialists think everything in life happens by the magic of the way man should, ideally be (if man were god like socialists think they are. They don’t recognize the basic nature of man and how best to use that less than perfect nature in the incentives of freedom and profit to enhance the expression of excellence in talent. It is hopeless to argue. It is a brain malfunction. They will never get it. Same with the fascists in power now.

[PA Engineer]

So how much more are YOU willing to pay in taxes to help subsidize the doctor's lavish earnings?

Actually I would rather not pay for your medicaid payments anymore. Get a job and quit leaching off of the American taxpayer.

[PA Engineer]

Medical services are expensive and fleeting, producing little long term benefit for our economy.
Brick and mortar infrastructure provides lasting economic benefits that span decades and even generations: bridges, tunnels, highways, hydroelectric dams, levees, and yes, railroads too.

Scratch a socialist and you will definitely find a Nazi underneath. Do you know what other very famous historical person uttered those almost exact words Willie? Maybe you should also tell us what you think the state should do with the mentally feeble?

[PA Engineer]

Personally, well over 86 (those are just members of the non-profit that I am a vice-president of). Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my wife is also a Physician and per her request I took the position. I also forgot to mention that my neighbor is a physician. Did I mention we have all of my wife's residents over every year? Did I mention my Wife's department Christmas parties?

Who do you know? Your navel does not count.

[PA Engineer]

Same with the fascists in power now.

Sadly I know and agree.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

If you’re trying to make sense to ole willie....Good Luck..lot’s have tried and to my knowledge all have failed. I haven’t figured out if the boy gets his nose in the slop bucket or is really that clueless....at any rate talking to him is kind of like wrestling a hog in the mud...the only thing that happens is you get muddy and the hog enjoys it!

[PA Engineer]

the only thing that happens is you get muddy and the hog enjoys it!

True. You have to admit that post by him was down right spooky even by willie standards.

[Republic of Texas]

Stop being jealous and go play with your trains.