Doctors Unionizing

[TeslaCoil]

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With all this talk about midlevel encroachment, reimbursement cuts, etc, I thought this would be a nice start to enacting change. I did some reading online about doctor's unions. Actually, I discovered that there are a couple of fledgling doctors unions already. I think if more and more residents unionize and carry this over into their years as attendings, this may gain more traction. Here are some fantastic articles and resources I found:

Can Doctors Form a Union: Medical Justice Services, Inc.

Can doctors form a union? Not a civil union. But a legal entity to “collectively bargain.” Doctors are a ferociously independent lot - the proverbial unherdable cats - but as financial and regulatory pressures mount - this question is increasingly asked: Can we form a union to level the playing...

medicaljustice.com

Thousands of medical residents are unionizing. Here’s what that means for doctors, hospitals, and the patients they serve

Medical residents often bemoan long hours and relatively low wages. Now, a growing number are unionizing, which observers say brings benefits — and drawbacks.

www.aamc.org

All Doctors Need A Union — A Union Like UAPD

Doctors have had it with the way that they and their patients have been treated by the health care industry. The Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UA

www.uapd.com

A New Doctors’ Union in the South Is a Model for Health Care Organizing

Doctors’ unions are rare in the US, and unions comprised of both physicians and other medical providers are even rarer. But in North Carolina, a group of medical providers has successfully organized an interprofessional union.

jacobin.com

Medical Doctors Union — The Voice of Labor in Medicine

The Medical Doctors Union is a Non-profit for the Good of Medicine and Patients. A leader of many, follower of unions. There are no dues — we paid them. We are new. Join us. Let's get this conversation started.

medicaldoctorsunion.org

Happy Reading! 😉

 

[TeslaCoil]

And look at this: The OT/PT's are doing a better job at fighting this than we are. Thats pretty pathetic.

https://www.aota.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/2022/congress-acts-to-reduce-medicare-part-b-cuts-challenges-remain

 

[TeslaCoil]

And these guys are fighting back: Only You Can Stop Medicare Cuts Now | SCAI

Why cant we?

 

[hyperalgesia]

Is there a legal restriction against docs collectively refusing to accept Medicare without higher payment rates?

 

[TeslaCoil]

Is there a legal restriction against docs collectively refusing to accept Medicare without higher payment rates?

Yes, unfortunately. See Link #1 in top post.

 

[hyperalgesia]

Yes, unfortunately. See Link #1 in top post.

That's the only thing that matters to me. We lobby to get that reversed and there will be some accountability.

Otherwise, I think we can write all the letters to congress we want and they will throw us a few scraps here and there until we die off.

I'm normally not in favor of collective bargaining but we're dealing with a monopoly here - Medicare. It's insane that Medicare can use its leverage to fix prices but we're prohibited from defending ourselves.

 

[callmeanesthesia]

 

[TeslaCoil]

That's the only thing that matters to me. We lobby to get that reversed and there will be some accountability.

Otherwise, I think we can write all the letters to congress we want and they will throw us a few scraps here and there until we die off.

I'm normally not in favor of collective bargaining but we're dealing with a monopoly here - Medicare. It's insane that Medicare can use its leverage to fix prices but we're prohibited from defending ourselves.

You can have a go between organization advocate and negotiate for you but you cant unionize and threaten to not accept pay.

 

[bedrock]

This is the one big drawback of being in a group. Otherwise, if solo I’d drop all Medicaid and Medicare advantage plans right now.

 

[hyperalgesia]

You can have a go between organization advocate and negotiate for you but you cant unionize and threaten to not accept pay.

"Advocate" yes, but "negotiate"? With Medicare?

That's like me negotiating with CocaCola asking them to change their recipe. And I'm not allowed to talk to other people about it because that would be unfair to CocaCola.

 

[TeslaCoil]

Speaking to congressmen is what stopped full implementation of medicare cuts recently…

 

[drusso]

"Advocate" yes, but "negotiate"? With Medicare?

That's like me negotiating with CocaCola asking them to change their recipe. And I'm not allowed to talk to other people about it because that would be unfair to CocaCola.

Doctors can unionize and bargain for working conditions and other "non-economic" topics, including benefits. Of course everything has an economic dimension to do it. Models to emulate are Screen Actors Guild and professional athletic players' associations.

 

[p1at0]

Reading link #1.... So use of MGMA data, and the like, are antitrust violation? (When used "against" us.) How about coverage guidelines?

 

[Agast]

How physician wellness programs keep doctors captive

To find physicians guilty of their own burnout perpetuates a vicious cycle. It's the system itself — the one that creates burnout in the first place — that must be put on trial.

www.statnews.com

I saw this article on Med Reddit - some really good points

“Exploitation of doctors’ ethics” is such a good way to describe how we’re treated.