and by "price," they mean your (future) salary

[eject]

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...-the-pricing/2012/02/28/gIQAtbhimR_story.html

You read one of these articles every couple of weeks. The problem with our heathcare system and its costs, it seems, is that prices are too high. And our prices are too high because "unlike other countries," our government does not "negotiate very aggressively with the providers and set rates that are much lower."

Not enough aggression in the negotiations. That bodes well for us.

 

[link2swim06]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...-the-pricing/2012/02/28/gIQAtbhimR_story.html

You read one of these articles every couple of weeks. The problem with our heathcare system and its costs, it seems, is that prices are too high. And our prices are too high because "unlike other countries," our government does not "negotiate very aggressively with the providers and set rates that are much lower."

Not enough aggression in the negotiations. That bodes well for us.

They aren't aggressive because they know physician will stop treating that subset of patients.

Look at medicaid, they pay pennies for about everything now. Patients with only medicaid often have trouble finding primary care doctors.

Since we dont have a single payer system, the government has reasons to not cut payments too much.

Also we have basically bought congress, with all the lobbyist which are in place its near impossible for congressmen vote for cutting doctors pay.

 

[eject]

They aren't aggressive because they know physician will stop treating that subset of patients.

Look at medicaid, they pay pennies for about everything now. Patients with only medicaid often have trouble finding primary care doctors.

Since we dont have a single payer system, the government has reasons to not cut payments too much.

Also we have basically bought congress, with all the lobbyist which are in place its near impossible for congressmen vote for cutting doctors pay.

ha..I like the optimism! I wish I shared it. Sad face.

 

[NickNaylor]

They aren't aggressive because they know physician will stop treating that subset of patients.

Look at medicaid, they pay pennies for about everything now. Patients with only medicaid often have trouble finding primary care doctors.

Since we dont have a single payer system, the government has reasons to not cut payments too much.

Also we have basically bought congress, with all the lobbyist which are in place its near impossible for congressmen vote for cutting doctors pay.

The logical next step is to require the acceptance of Medicare/Medicaid as a condition of licensure. This as attempted in MA a few years ago, but I'm not sure what the status is now.

 

[Dr Love]

The logical next step is to require the acceptance of Medicare/Medicaid as a condition of licensure. This as attempted in MA a few years ago, but I'm not sure what the status is now.

Yes, that's the logical next stop to advance an illogical program.

 

[Untraditional]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...-the-pricing/2012/02/28/gIQAtbhimR_story.html

You read one of these articles every couple of weeks. The problem with our heathcare system and its costs, it seems, is that prices are too high. And our prices are too high because "unlike other countries," our government does not "negotiate very aggressively with the providers and set rates that are much lower."

Not enough aggression in the negotiations. That bodes well for us.

Go tell the insurers to stop raping us with overhead, paperwork and quotas.

It's not all about the Greedy Doctors. FFS, my taxes went up this year, my scholarship was taxed and my loans are no longer subsidized. The way things are going I might have to leave to country when my training is done just to escape the bills.

 

[thes_hunter]

Or suppliers charging 30 bucks for a bag of sterile sugar water.* I find a lot of media attention on Provider salaries, but very little on the cost of medical supplies.


*Cost of D5W comes from a random resident on a rant. It may or not be accurate, but I have found the same jacked up prices in other medical supplies.

 

[Druggernaut]

Also we have basically bought congress, with all the lobbyist which are in place its near impossible for congressmen vote for cutting doctors pay.

Where have you been for the last decade?

 

[link2swim06]

Where have you been for the last decade?

I have been watching physician income going up over the past decade. I dont get your point?

 

[Druggernaut]

I have been watching physician income going up over the past decade. I dont get your point?

http://hschange.org/CONTENT/851/
http://medicalexecutivepost.com/2008/04/02/physician-compensation-trends/


In the first (and older) link, income increased, but not as fast as inflation, and far less than most other fields. In the second, reimbursement decreased, and I think there's been some fairly significant cuts to a few specialties since then.

 

[thomprya]

http://hschange.org/CONTENT/851/
http://medicalexecutivepost.com/2008/04/02/physician-compensation-trends/


In the first (and older) link, income increased, but not as fast as inflation, and far less than most other fields. In the second, reimbursement decreased, and I think there's been some fairly significant cuts to a few specialties since then.

eh, I would turn your attention to the MGMA data. Lowest paid area of med is 180k at primary care. I find it truly unique how practically the highest paid profession in the US is constantly complaining about slight cuts to the pay. We are virtually unopposed for years of education to income guaranteed when we graduate. I wont cry about a 7% medicare cut to specialty med so PCP docs can have a much deserved pay raise. Who I feel bad for is the vets and lawyers. They are accumulating massive debt too and their future is considerably less bright then ours.

 

[Whiskeypunch]

.

 

[Whiskeypunch]

.

 

[link2swim06]

http://hschange.org/CONTENT/851/
http://medicalexecutivepost.com/2008/04/02/physician-compensation-trends/


In the first (and older) link, income increased, but not as fast as inflation, and far less than most other fields. In the second, reimbursement decreased, and I think there's been some fairly significant cuts to a few specialties since then.

And again my statement was "Also we have basically bought congress, with all the lobbyist which are in place its near impossible for congressmen vote for cutting doctors pay."

This is what congress has done to doctors pay on average over the past decade:

2011: 24.9% cut avoided (2.2% increase)
2010: 21.3% cut avoided(2.2% increase)
2009: 10.6% cut avoided (0.55 increase)
2008: 9.9% cut avoided, CHAMP bill = 0.5% increase
2005-7: frozen
2003: 1.6% increase
2004- 2005: 4.5% reduction
2003 MMA: 1.5% increase in 2004, 2005

Furthermore, the average American salary does NOT keep up with inflation. That is what happens when the fed just prints money whenever they want. There are only a few careers outpacing inflation.

Also everyone except doctors are working more hours:

compared to physician hours http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a1tbL9.eTmrk This is probably more "part time" docs moving the average, but still few profession allow you to choose your hours. Most high paying jobs make you a slave to your job....there is no option to go part time and get half the pay.

Sure you can argue doctors are making less due to inflation, but in reality they are still in the middle of the pack in % pay lost in the last decade. This isnt a medicine specific problem, this is a "working class" specific problem. The real problem is inflation not a change in doctors pay at this point.

Here is another interesting read about this point:
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/a-decade-with-no-income-gain/

Also the other point is overhead costs are going up...this is true. This is also true for almost all other American businesses, again physicians are one small segment of the economy which has been in the ****tier lately.

I dont know what will happen in the future, but currently the "doctor fixes" which are passed to delay the SRG formula...are actually keeping doctors pay increasing at a greater rate than the average American household by good amount.


Just something to consider....

 

[link2swim06]

eh, I would turn your attention to the MGMA data. Lowest paid area of med is 180k at primary care. I find it truly unique how practically the highest paid profession in the US is constantly complaining about slight cuts to the pay. We are virtually unopposed for years of education to income guaranteed when we graduate. I wont cry about a 7% medicare cut to specialty med so PCP docs can have a much deserved pay raise. Who I feel bad for is the vets and lawyers. They are accumulating massive debt too and their future is considerably less bright then ours.

X100 The entire middle class is sinking...yet everyone loves to sound the alarms, and alert everyone the sky is falling in medicine.

It is not falling faster than the rest of the working class, that is a fact.

 

[SpecterGT260]

They aren't aggressive because they know physician will stop treating that subset of patients.

Look at medicaid, they pay pennies for about everything now. Patients with only medicaid often have trouble finding primary care doctors.

Since we dont have a single payer system, the government has reasons to not cut payments too much.

Also we have basically bought congress, with all the lobbyist which are in place its near impossible for congressmen vote for cutting doctors pay.

I don't know about the end of this but the first part is good. Reducing incentive will only hurt patients. The 2-300k physicians usually make is nowhere near unreasonable or a substantial burden comparatively on the system