Warning---> I'm venting <--- Warning

[Gold 5]

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GOLD 5

I guess if I was rich that would be nice, but no that is not my goal. I've read the threads about hey....you can make more money is business...

I've got several reasons why I would like to be a doctor - and becoming rich is not one of them.

ACTUALLY, the POINT OF THIS THREAD is one of them....people suffering more than they have to because the insurance companies are not considering the procedures medically necessary.

As future doctors, the fact of health care reform is underway and we must discuss questions such as "Would a starting pay at $100,000 be okay with you"...

Sorry that this thread got off track and but I gave my oppinion and I got flamed and thats okay.

Hi Omashu,
I don't know about the rest but I am not flaming you rather I am trying to enlighten you to my different point of view. If this was the Allopathic board, I would not bother but since you picked the Osteopathic board 😉 .

two main points that you have mentioned and my response:

1. Doctors make too much causing health care costs to spiral up wards.
Not true, doctors costs are only 6% of the overall health care costs. If you wanted to cap payroll costs in medicine then you would need to cap not only the doctors but nurses, admins, lawyers, PA's, etc. Next time you go to your doctors office, look at all of the staff in the office. Having run a small business I promise you that is a significant payroll to meet each week. At 100K doctors are now paid slightly above a PA's pay.

2. "ACTUALLY, the POINT OF THIS THREAD is one of them....people suffering more than they have to because the insurance companies are not considering the procedures medically necessary. "
Actually the OP had to do with an expensive medicine while her insurance company has a ridiculous co-pay for it. I feel for her I do but there is no easy answer for it. Her medical plan sucks and she needs to upgrade next year. The real problem is that the meds cost an astronomical value due to the med being new and the pharmaceutical company is trying to recoup their costs for the drug. I hope there is something else that can help them. Preferable a generic with their policy.

As a side note I have volunteered for many years in medicine and enjoyed it innumerably but it can't pay for college or the mortgage. For that you need one of those paying jobs or if you are lucky you can be a trust fund baby.

 

[VALSALVA]

VALSALVA,



Why does the hospital charge $10.00 for a freaken band aid (exaggerating slightly but not much)....The INS company gets paid this. WHERE"S THE MONEY GOING TO???

Hospitals charge crazy fees to make up for all the people who DON'T PAY!!! People who do pay get taken advantage of. Works sort of like our tax system. Folks at the top pay for everyone else dis-proportionally...same in the hospital.

Most of your most recent post seems naive and misguided to me and you really didn't counter any of answers I gave to your original questions - which isn't very fair. I don't think I'm going to change your mind and vice versa. In addition, my personal views weren't too different from yours no more than 5-6 years ago. Perhaps your views will change once you gain more experience in the medical field. My views have changed quite a bit...more driven by what I know rather than what I feel.

I will address your question about whether or not I've ever had to live on a tight fixed income. The answer is a big yes. I was a medical student, remember, and I am not independently wealthy. Even now, as a resident, my budget is fixed and tight, but I still pay my bills. My feeling is that if you do the right thing, pay what you owe, etc., your finances and everything else will take care of itself.

 

[Doc Henry]

Sorry for leading this thread off topic, but ask your doctor if there are any non-biological DMARDs that your husband can take since the non-biological ones are MUCH less expensive. While they may not be quite as effective, they can still be VERY helpful. DO NOT TAKE THIS AS MEDICAL ADVICE, I AM NOT A DOCTOR.

Thanks for the (NOT) advice. Not any point in discussing this now, seeing as the thread has become about something else all together...

Anyway, we've burned through everything non-biological. Thanks again for your input and concern

 

[Live4Life]

Thanks for the (NOT) advice. Not any point in discussing this now, seeing as the thread has become about something else all together...

Anyway, we've burned through everything non-biological. Thanks again for your input and concern

I'm sorry to hear that you've tried everything non-biological. I don't know if you are in school full-time, but if you are then you should check with your university to find out about their health insurance plan that they offer students. Since it's a group policy, the rates won't be as high as purchasing an individual plan in the market.

Also, what state do you live in? B/c a lot of states have high risk insurance pool programs where the cost of purchasing the insurance is regulated by the state and the coverage is usually quite good. Check out this website to see if your state offers one (http://www.healthinsurance.org/risk_pools/). Only people with specific conditions or proof of denied coverage or "underinsured" are eligible, but many people with autoimmune disorders are eligible because they are often underinsured. The conditions covered vary from state to state but you just need to look at the individual states websites to see what is covered. I hope this helps.

 

[Doc Henry]

I'm sorry to hear that you've tried everything non-biological. I don't know if you are in school full-time, but if you are then you should check with your university to find out about their health insurance plan that they offer students. Since it's a group policy, the rates won't be as high as purchasing an individual plan in the market.

Also, what state do you live in? B/c a lot of states have high risk insurance pool programs where the cost of purchasing the insurance is regulated by the state and the coverage is usually quite good. Check out this website to see if your state offers one (http://www.healthinsurance.org/risk_pools/). Only people with specific conditions or proof of denied coverage or "underinsured" are eligible, but many people with autoimmune disorders are eligible because they are often underinsured. The conditions covered vary from state to state but you just need to look at the individual states websites to see what is covered. I hope this helps.

Thanks so much for taking time to help me out. I will look in to all that

 

[Polyphasic007]

Good idea, because something really needs to be done. Reimbursement is falling, malpractice is rising, practice overhead is a killer and student loans are a burden. My mother works for a great group of docs that includes 3 DO's (family practitioners and nephrologists). The phones are ringing non-stop at this place and patients are booked into the summer. I asked my mom how much some of the docs make and she said in the low 100,000's. Not anything to scoff at, right? My brother was sitting at the table while we were discussing this. He works at an automotive service shop. He's the manager of tire sales and a certified auto tech. He went to school for 18 months and only owes about 17K. He said his A tech (top Auto tech), makes 90K a year, starting.

The bottom line is that the insurance companies are basically stealing money from people, and instead of paying these people's doctors, they're pocketing the money. I understand that there needs to be a system of checks and balances in place that prevents doctors and healthcare professionals from abusing the system by billing excessively. But when the insurance companies are denying sick people of necessary treatment and simultaneously paying for a healthy person's annual physical, something is seriously wrong.

Also, somehow, the going rates for specific procedures have tanked in the past 15 years or so. The DO I work for is dual licenced in family medicine and OB/GYN. He said 10 years ago the insurers would pay about $5,000 for a historectomy. Today's going rate is $1,500. We need to do something once our medical education is complete to ensure the future and health of our patients, families and colleagues.

from what I understand, the operating cost for for profit insurance companies tend to be around 35% while a not for profit insurance company will be more around 7%.

I think economically speaking, it's high cost specialty practices and equipment, inefficiencies in the system and lack of prevention that really drives up the cost of healthcare.

not that any of this really helps the OP. ^___^ sorry, I just hope things turn out ok for you. At least it sounds like you and your husband will be great parents and your kid will really grow up well.

I honestly think that children and parenting is the most important thing a person can do in their life. All this premed stuff is like.. eh.. hehehe

 

[Polyphasic007]

Thanks so much for taking time to help me out. I will look in to all that

Yay! good luck!!

 

[Doc Henry]

Not so much of a happy update unfortunately:

My husband has had to switch meds twice due to insurance issues, and just when he was starting to feel better, we find out his liver isn't doing so well on them. His liver enzymes are 5 times the normal upper limit. So now the meds are on hold while we dump a ton more money (not a lot of labs are covered for us on insurance) into just figuring out what is wrong with his liver. If he can't be on the meds, i just don't know what we'll do...things were really looking up, on now it seems like hopes are crushed AGAIN

Oh, and it looks like I'll be spending my year "off" while applying, living with my grandma as she has just been told she should never eat again do to chronic bowel obstructions. She needs help managing her TPN, as well as the insulin dependent diabetes it causes. I'm happy to help, and feel lucky that I will be out of school for what will likely be one of her last, if not the las years of her life.

 

[mandinca]

Doc Henry, I hope that your husband (and yourself) find relief soon. I know he must be glad that he has you as his support system. As I'm sure you are aware, caregivers are at high-risk for declining health, so please make sure that your family-care includes maintining your own health. (Sorry, that's the nurse in me coming out...) Good luck!

Valsalva, I couldn't agree with you more on everything!!!! I think you're right about some of the under-experienced possibly changing their minds as they become "invloved in the system". It is wonderful to be idealistic, but the business side of your own pratice demands a clear, strong mind. It has nothing to do with being compassionate to your patients, and giving impeccable medical care, etc. That goes without saying ALWAYS. But for the future of your success, a good financial advisor is a MUST. There are so many ways that this system (as it now stands) can drain you if you are not pro-active.

My husband (an Anesthesiologist) and I were joking that our families should thank us for this recent $600 check that poeple are getting from the Government, we're obviously paying for it! That is to say--it all looks different from the other side..... I'm sure the opinions on this thread will change drasticallly as these pre-meds get into and finish medical school. The evolution of a physician is an intriguing phenomenon to watch! 😀 Good luck to us all!