Quote :

"Thus, French physicians enter their careers with little if any debt "

This is irrelevant to America's problem. High cost of education disuades people from becoming doctors, but we have no shortage of people wanting to become doctors, what we have a shortage of is medical schools and shots for students within those schools. If we simply fixed this shortage, then the reduction of the doctor shortage will lower wages, maybe in line with their french counterparts.

5/16/2009 12:21:44 PM

Quote :

"you were concerned earlier about Dr's pay going down under a single-payer system, but now that is being touted as a benefit of an HSA?"

This would not necessarily lower doctors’ pay if costs were reduced alongside reductions in prices. There are incentives for efficiency and cost reduction in sectors that must compete on price. This is absent in the health care sector. Should the health-care sector have to compete on price, greater efficiency and cost reduction will lead to lower costs and prices. This has been shown to be the case in subsectors that currently have to compete on price, such as laser eye surgery, cosmetic surgery and clinics that cater to the uninsured. (Part 6 of the previously-posted 20/20 episode touches on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_KCLm9cekU)

5/18/2009 9:38:37 AM

Quote :

"you were concerned earlier about Dr's pay going down under a single-payer system, but now that is being touted as a benefit of an HSA? "

Hunt answered part of your question. The other aspect is that we have staff members who do nothing but deal with insurances and trying to get the money for the service we have already provided. Taking cash will eliminate the need for thier jobs, thus lowering the cost to operate as well as improve cashflow. Many private practices have gone under bc they made a bad hire to deal with thier insurance.

Of course you missed the idea of competition vs heavy handed govt. I would rather charge whatever I want and sink or swim than have the govt come down and dictate what I will charge and how much money I will be given and how many patients I have to see.... and throw you in jail if you dont obey...

You all should look at dentists in england. They are given a quota of people they have to see a year. After that number is reached they receive NO payment for seeing anyone over that number. The result? Doctors go on vacation and just shut down the practice for the rest of the year. And I dont blame them at all.

5/18/2009 3:03:18 PM

^ that explains a lot about the teeth of the British...

5/19/2009 7:08:47 PM