Anesthesia and Universal Health Care

[rs2006]

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Any thoughts on how universal health care would affect anesthesiology?
Thanks.

 

[jetproppilot]

Any thoughts on how universal health care would affect anesthesiology?
Thanks.

Depends on how you define "affect".

Anesthesia would obviously survive, since X number of clinicians in every specialty is always needed, regardless of what healthcare model is in place.

Nobody knows the answer to your question.

What many people reading this forum don't realize is that hospitals, no matter what they publicly admit, are in the business to make money. Retaining surgeons that attract insurance paying patients at said facility means more money for the hospital.

So lets say the population is 50% medicare....bad for an anesthesia group...but still good for the hospital....to give you an idea, at my previous gig, medicare ratios were around 38%...which meant 62% private insurance...which means respectful income for anesthesiolgists....

approach 50% medicare and your job is mediocre, meaning it can be replicated almost anywhere you look.

SO, lets say you are at a hospital with 50% MEDICARE...and your collections aren't keeping you (or anyone else looking at the anesthesia contract) happy....the hospital will, if you are a shrewd businessman, AUGMENT your income, if you push them.

JET: Geez, Mr CEO, your hospital posted respectful profits the last fiscal year...and man, those new orthopedic surgeons are bringing in a pretty penny for your hospital.....know what? Most of their cases are medicare knee replacements, and thats kinda hurrtin' us.....in order to keep your new cash cow orthopedic surgeons happy, we've had to pay X amount for CRNA salaries, which is hurting us. We need augmentation in order to keep your cash-cows happy.

In a small-to-mid-size city, where you dont have alot of competition, you've got alot of bargaining power, and you can almost be assured of a top 10% income.

If you are in a big city with alotta competition, its different...but not unobtainable....make a name for yourself with positive work ethic and skills and you'll do fine...

Off the subject of Universal Healthcare , but important none-the-less...