There is a doctor practice in town that has been finding reasons to get rid of patients they don't want. It all came out in the paper. They don't like patients who are too complicated or timeconsuming, they get rid of anyone who changes insurance, they don't take Medicaid. I had one patient who told me that she was fired from this practice, the reason given was that she was rude to the receptionist. This patient was a very nice woman, I was really surprised about that. Other reasons being given is when patients live too far away, yet we live far away and I was encouraged to sign our family up there.
Meanwhile, the practice is recruiting new patients. In fact, I had approached the head of the practice about switching our family there because I was dissatisfied with the clinic where we were going which was bought by the hospital where I work and I didn't like the way they were doing things.
Ironically, this practice in known as an all Christian practice, that was one thing I liked about them since they pray for their patients. We haven't gone there yet, but we were accepted as patients. Now I'm worried that if any one of us ends up with chronic problems, we'll get fired as well.
I've seen clients who had the attitude that a free clinic was where they should be because they didn't have health insurance.
Some of these folks had good income. But regrettably, we've come to have a portion of the population that just can't imagine paying cash for health care.
Because I've seen enough of that -- and the corresponding attitudes that seem to go along with that idea -- that I won't volunteer at a place that doesn't have a means test. I simply won't provide free care to someone who can afford it, but chooses to spend their money elsewhere.
No I definitely agree. What is that statistic--that you work until May (it is not entirely accurate) just to pay taxes each year. That time is what I consider my volunteer time.
I paid around 10,000 dollars last year just for federal tax. Yet I have put an ablation procedure off because I dont have 1000 to pay for it. And with the way my driveway is cracking it probably wont be anytime soon that I will have it. So it does get frustrating, it isnt only the poor that is not getting treatment, it is also the working poor and middle class.
I can only imagine the frustration of not only having to pay too much in taxes but also being forced by law to volunteer time and being forced to lose even more money.
So, where might those be ? I guess they should dumped - period. I do hope that when we do get universal health care we wont be having this type of a discussion any longer.
" I've gone through three malpractice insurance carriers in three years because they're leaving in droves," says Blume. He's been sued three times during his career, each time by uninsured patients. "I didn't charge them for their care, and they sued me anyway," says Blume. "It's heartbreaking." One plaintiff told Blume she didn't want to sue him. She'd said to her lawyer, "Dr. Blume did everything he could for me." Her attorney reportedly said, "No, we have to name everyone. That way we get more money." Blume was dismissed"
When his premiums went up what did he do? He sold his own property but that isnt in the article. So this is what some family doctors are up against. The above doctor won country doctor of the year but yet has struggled just to stay open.
" I've gone through three malpractice insurance carriers in three years because they're leaving in droves," says Blume. He's been sued three times during his career, each time by uninsured patients. "I didn't charge them for their care, and they sued me anyway," says Blume. "It's heartbreaking." One plaintiff told Blume she didn't want to sue him. She'd said to her lawyer, "Dr. Blume did everything he could for me." Her attorney reportedly said, "No, we have to name everyone. That way we get more money." Blume was dismissed"
When his premiums went up what did he do? He sold his own property but that isnt in the article. So this is what some family doctors are up against. The above doctor won country doctor of the year but yet has struggled just to stay open.
This is exactly why there needs to be an overhaul of our system. Everything keeps costing more and wages are stagnating. Pretty soon there wont be any doctors for these rural areas.
There is something definently wrong with this picture!
i know plenty of nurses, lpn/rn, who go to chairty hospital clinics for themselves and their children because their pay was not enough to cover rent, clothes and food - they were allowed so much income for the number of children in the family - i know that some of them could not make car payments to get to work if they had to pay company insurance esp if there was a chronic condition such a iddm
the state can have some foolish regs too once an cna had baby with a private ob when she had her six week appt she asked for birth control..because he could not give care after the six week f/u he had to refer her to a state run clinic where she could get b/c on an ongoing basis.she showed up pg again about four months later, she said that she couldn't get into the clinic because she would have to wait all day to be seen, i can believe this but did she believe that having another baby would be retalitory against them??
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
I didnt realize that someone who has the means to pay for their healthcare could get free healthcare. I thought it always went on income. Here in my neck of the woods there is a free clinic but only those with out insurance and little to no income can partake.
Well. There's income, and then there's income.
I worked in a federally funded clinic that had a sliding scale. There is a portion of the population- not a large portion, but a portion- whose income is not 100% open and aboveboard. People sometimes use very creative accounting. There was one family served by this clinic who was known for this. Nice house, nice clothes, nice vehicle, but on paper they were very low-income.
Not only is this infuriating to everyone else because it's an abuse of the system, but it's taking away from people who really do need the help. And yes, there are those out there. I've had people who "fell through the cracks" and for whom I've bent over backwards to get the care they need. It's really frustrating to have a patient who wants to work, who does not want to sit at home, but who can't get any help because that little bit of income he makes is just a little too much.
Are you sure you want to be a pt in such a practice? What if you have to change your insurance (and what kind of a reason for dismissing pts is that anyway)?
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
All I can say is "wow". Didnt know there was so much resentment out there towards medicaid patients.
I don't resent medicaid patients. I resent patients who milk and abuse the system.
And, I resent a system that allows a parent to take a kid in to the ER for a diaper rash, but which won't help the same kid's grandparent who has chronic illnesses but who still works every day. I resent a system that enables a parent to have cell phones, fancy nails and hair, high-dollar clothes, nice jewelry, tattoos, alcohol, and cigarettes, but that same parent won't go to the dollar store and buy Tylenol and cough syrup for their kid, because the system pays for an office or ER visit and for the prescriptions.
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
Are you sure you want to be a pt in such a practice? What if you have to change your insurance (and what kind of a reason for dismissing pts is that anyway)?
DeLana
Well, the reason for dismissing a patient whose insurance changes would be if that provider doesn't take that particular insurance. (A better way of putting it would be that the insurance won't pay that provider). The patient could probably stay with the provider, if the patient is willing to pay the whole cost.
And getting on a particular insurance panel can be a complex and time-consuming thing.
refusal of new medicaid patients spurs antitrust suit
the illinois attorney general has accused two clinics of collusion, but doctors say payment cuts forced their independent decisions to trim program caseloads.
in a case that some experts say adds a new twist to physicians' antitrust fears, the illinois attorney general is suing two private medical clinics for allegedly refusing to take new medicaid patients in order to force an increase in reimbursement rates.
the antitrust lawsuit filed by attorney general lisa madigan in june accuses the carle clinic assn. and christie clinic, both in champaign county, ill., of collectively boycotting new medicaid patients by adopting identical policies in 2003. the two groups employ more than 90% of physicians in the area.
according to the complaint, the clinics declined medicaid enrollees who either were not already registered patients or who had not seen a clinic physician for at least three years. both groups continued to accept patients referred by a nearby free health center for consultations but sent them back to the center for ongoing treatment.
similarly, with hospital emergency department referrals, the carle and christie clinics treated medicaid patients only for the condition for which they were referred, and did not provide follow-up care.
the restrictive policies "left many of the 20,000 medicaid-eligible children and adults in champaign county at risk by leaving them with fewer choices to obtain quality primary medical care -- if they could access primary care at all," madigan said in a statement.
as a result, the lawsuit alleges, many of those patients were forced to get medical attention at area hospital eds, at a higher cost to the state. madigan is seeking to require the carle and christie clinics to open their doors to new medicaid patients and to recover civil fines and damages for their anticompetitive conduct.
wouldn't it just be better for all concerned to have a universal health care system?
There is a lot of very good imput in this discussion. I can see both sides and don't feel like there is an easy or just solution. I don't have too much faith that the government will come up with a good solution. The whole thing sounds too complex. Healthcare has become too expensive, complicated, overregulated, and can see it collasping under its own weight eventually.
Noryn
648 Posts
No I definitely agree. What is that statistic--that you work until May (it is not entirely accurate) just to pay taxes each year. That time is what I consider my volunteer time.
I paid around 10,000 dollars last year just for federal tax. Yet I have put an ablation procedure off because I dont have 1000 to pay for it. And with the way my driveway is cracking it probably wont be anytime soon that I will have it. So it does get frustrating, it isnt only the poor that is not getting treatment, it is also the working poor and middle class.
I can only imagine the frustration of not only having to pay too much in taxes but also being forced by law to volunteer time and being forced to lose even more money.