Thursday, April 08, 2010

Today's featured Tribune letter: "Is money the only reason they practice medicine?"

Read retired physician Ed Ryan's thoughts, and envision Healthblogger sipping tea in a tricornered hat.

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4 comments:

Iamhoosier said...

I believe Doc meant to comment here and not under Roger's column.

" Healthblogger said...
Certainly wouldn't want the constitution to get in the way of a radical liberal agenda.

There is a serious Constitiutional question about an individual mandate on healthcare and it is rightly challenged. Hopefully, all the way to the Supreme Court

8:55 AM"

10:03 AM
Iamhoosier said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
10:11 AM
Iamhoosier said...

Guess that I would put a little more stock into your "objections" if you ever objected to some part of the radical conservative agenda.

I know, that would mean acknowledging the there are more the 2 crayons in the box.

10:13 AM
Kathy - said...

I responded to the Tribune.

I have no idea who the doctors in question are or what their reasoning is behind denying Medicare or Medicaid. But what I do know is that healthcare is out of control. The system is broken (and has been breaking for the past 10-15 years). But just like the schools, until it hits home, nobody really pays any attention.

Do I support the current healthcare reform? No. They're going about it all wrong. But something has to change.

I visited with one of my doctor's this morning. He's having to close his practice because he is literally going in debt. Insurance companies have continually lowered the allowable billable amount to the point of insanity. While they profit (not to mention pharmaceutical companies profits), John and Jane Doe have had to pay higher and higher premiums and co-pays over the last several years, while Dr. Who's patients' insurance pay-outs have declined, yet his malpractice insurance rates have steadily increased. Yes there was a time being a physician meant a good salary - that's no longer the case.

While insurance is part of the problem, so are pharmaceutical companies. Have you ever wondered who pays for the television and magazine ads? Look in your pockets. What's that? There's only lent? That's because you and your insurance company are paying for those ads.

Then there's the fact that doctors have gotten sucked-in by the pharmaceutical companies and patients' lazy attitudes. Doctors have begun prescribing pills for everything! Patients wants a magic pill for a quick fix. They don't want to hear that a healthy diet and exercise could reverse and/or prevent their diagnosed disease. The problem is, most of these "pills" come with horrible side effects that cause even more problems and then the domino effect begins. Before a person knows it, they're taking a dozen different meds that they may have avoided altogether if they'd just replaced the Little Debbies with some fruit and vegetables and added a bit of exercise to their day. All of those high priced prescriptions (so pharmaceutical companies can make big profits) are an added burden to insurance companies, so they have no choice but to put limits everywhere and raise premiums, deductibles and co-pays.

It's definitely time for big changes to happen, but they're not going to happen until people change - - and I'm not sure that's going to happen because people want to continue kidding themselves into believing a magic pill will allow them to continue with their unhealthy lifestyles.

1:19 PM

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