Medical Industry - Poor Doctors

[BlackWolf42]

I'm at work right now, and I've got a chip on my shoulder. Help me to feel better: For the past 4 years, I've been working at my family’s medical building. I enter charges into the billing systems, deal with the payments from insurance companies, do the necessary coding, and deal mostly with the AR. I used to have a sort of contempt for doctors, being raised with them in every aspect of my life. Growing up, I was always around my family and family’s' friends, all doctors, physicians, etc. They all had their BMWs, Porsches, and general all around nice things.

Everyone assumes that all doctors have money in excess. That may have been the case years ago. After doing all of the billing, fighting with the insurance companies, and getting to experience 1st hand all of the crap that comes with the industry I can't help but to feel a new found respect for all of the doctors here in this country.

It's really funny that doctors are the only professionals out of all known professions where they get paid what somebody else wants to pay them. You can argue with the insurance companies but that may get you an extra 5% payment for that instance only. In fact, too much questioning of the insurance companies' practices may get you dropped a 'tier' where they can pay you even less. Plastic surgeons are indeed always very well-to-do financially; they don't deal with insurance companies. They get paid cash money for their work and very rarely accept insurance.

I want to give you an example. HMOs don't get me started on them... Besides the 0 to $30 we get for co-payments, the local authority for the HMOs pay us only 9 dollars per patient per month, regardless of how many times they visit in a month. I just entered a charge where a patient (HMO of course) came in for a callus on her toe, that’s it. The doc spent 20 minutes of his time examining and talking to said patient. Total income for that time spent away from paying customers = $9.00. This is only a small part of the whole picture.

I always overhear "he's a doctor, it won't matter to him" (talking about some price increase, gas prices, etc). The thing is, it does matter. 20 or so years ago, it wouldn't have made much of a difference, but today, doctors in this country aren't really 'well-to-do'.

I feel better now, whew.

[satoch]

Canada has it right. We need nationalized healthcare also.

[BlackWolf42]

Canada has it right. We need nationalized healthcare also.

Oh Canada, land of the free band-aid. You're in trouble if you need surgery.

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

It's the insurance and legal (malpractice) systems that need help here.

[BlackWolf42]

It's the insurance and legal (malpractice) systems that need help here.

AMEN!

For example, in Illinois an OBGYN has to pay between 100 to 150 THOUSAND dollars a year for malpractice insurance alone. That’s why a good majority of the OBGYNs are moving up to Milwaukee; malpractice is A LOT less over the border. OBGYNs also get paid way more than anybody else from Public Aid, they love public aid. We get paid ZIP for public aid, so we don't see them. God, if I had to pay %50-70 of my total income to car insurance, I wouldn't drive.

Then, you get these fools that sue the doctor and sue for a million dollars when the most they SHOULD get is 10-20K...

Then you get people that wonder why the hell you have to pay so much at the Dr's office/Hospital.

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

A co-worker's wife is a lawyer and he refers to her degree as "a license to print money".

[satoch]

First, we kill all the lawyers...

JK, actually I think all of these issues are far more complex than most of our abilities to comprehend them. Sadly, I think they are also more complex than the majority of our "elected" (LOL) officials ability to comprehend either. Sadly, these problems won't be sorted out ,IMO, until people educate themselves to these matters and, most importantly, vote! Either that or we just need a good old fashioned revolution!! Oh, but wait, they took away all of our guns while we were drinking Budweiser and watching Seinfeld! Shit!!!! :confused:

[dentguy92]

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!! I agree with Satoch for once

[Michowski]

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!! I agree with Satoch for once

lol theres a first time for everything i guess.

[John78]

it is pretty sad. If the doctors dont get a "raise" from insurance companies every year, then why does my health insurance go up every year even though I don't go to the doctor? I think there should be a limit as to how much you get if you sue, and what you can sue for.

[rocco79]

should be a limit as to how much you get if you sue, and what you can sue for.[/QUOTE]


Couldnt of said it better my little friend!!!!!


Black wolf im sure you have a valid point but im afraid your violin playing for doctors has fallen on very def ears (atleast mine!) Its hard for the common man to feel sorry for a doctor because WE the common man pay the outstandingly HUG tabs for what our insurance companies dont cover! (As if 175 bucks a month from a single guy who almost never goes to the doctor isnt enough! I elect to go to a PPO i want some sorta say in who fixes the one thing i truley own .... MY BODY)

It would be differnt if a huge insurance premiums took care of things BUT THEY DONT!!! The last time i went in to be serviced it cost me another 135 bucks outta pocket and like 30 bucks for meds!!!!

Im sorry but untill someone somehow gets the price of staying alive (i.e) Insurance prices,out of pocket medical bills and perscription costs under control i think doctors and the entire health care system will continue to get the shaft

[SixVi6-Camaro]

I've worked on both sides of the problem and there is no way anyone can blame any one problem for the high costs. Its all just out of control.

Insurance goes up because Dr's charge more money to cover excedingly expensive technology, administration costs and malpractice insurance, there are more elderly living longer than ever that go to the doctor constantly, the Medical groups and insurance networks are incredible complicated which require a disgusting amount of work on both the providers side and the insurance side. Laws and rules are also out of control and everyone is soo paranoid about identity theft its hard just to call someone to confirm insurance information or call a provider to get simple info. Everyone wants to sue someone over the stupidest BS and the problem I have is the young and healthy are paying for everyhitng.

Dr's don't get paid what somebody else wants to pay them its a lot more complicated than that. Dr's sign contracts to be part of networks and accept lower negotiated rates. the networks bring in many more patients. There are many Dr's that do not contract with any Networks and charge whatever they want to insurances but insurance plans pay at a lower % for non-contracted services and in the end mayn Providers end up writing off amounts anyhow. and if its medicare.. boy Dr's really get the shaft.. They get charges hacked to a tiny amount if they accept assignemnt (aka contract with medicare) but they also get limited to 10% over the Medicare allowed amount either way. ehhh... ok I'm getting way too into this and I bet I lost everyone lol!! really the problem is comming from everywhere and anywhere and everyone is greedy. I just don't like the fact that the young and healthy are the ones giving all the money.

[mikeh]

Agree with Six 100%. I am a social service worker. Medicare/Medicaid is our bread and butter. At best, they pay 80% of the negotiated cost, and they leave the rest for the client to pay. SInce our clients are poor, we wash the other 20%.

We pay our own medical insurance because its better than the PPO that our work offers. The HMO is a bad joke. I once needed treatment for poison ivy and went to this total dive of an "urgent care" clinic. Sorta like an unofficial emergency room for cash payers. I swear I got the very best medical treatment in my life! The doctors were from India and knew everything. I got a steroid IV and pills and I was cured that day! They are our offical family doctors now! I was pleased they would take our insurance, but that day I paid with a Mastercard.
My wife went to her "regular" doctor after our son was born, because of discomfort and a rash related to giving birth. Her Dr said to deal with it. I had her see my Indian doctors who immediatedly prescibed medications that cured her ills. Why do American doctors have to be such a pain in the butt?
I am just happy that we found, and transfered to, our new clinic. Its Urgent Care on Ogden Ave in Downers Grove for those who may be interested. BTW, my cure for a raging case of poison ivy was 170 bucks out of pocket. Definately among the best money I ever spent.

[squirrel]

i've been sitting back and watching this arguement because it was about doctors getting paid now were into doctors being idiots! "doctors are just guess work in a white coat"! my grandmother just recently died because of malpractice. when she was 69 she was diagnosed with having a very large brain tumor, they went in and removed most of it. (btw saw that bill $500,000, doctors do get PAID) where they messed up was there was no radiation treatment afterwards, when there should have been! 5 years later the tumor was back but the doctors wouldn't operate because she was to old. then they sent here home and had a nurse come in everyday to take care of her. well, the doctors perscibed her 2 different kinds of medicine and caused her to contract thrombocyclopinia(sp) it's lethal to the elderly. so into the hospital she went where 5 days later she passed away. so far there are 2 malpractice lawsuits in this whole situation but because all doctors are good friends they have both been covered up. when doctors screw up this bad they should be held responsible. if they would have done radiation treatment after the brain surgery they would have gotten rid of the rest of the tumor and my grandmother would still be alive today! i hate the medical profesion.

sorry for the story had to rant a little.