Health care - Reader comments at The New York Sun

Recent Blog Posts

Reader comment on:
Vulnerable Here
in response to reader comment: Columnist Needs a New Rx for Glasses

Submitted by R W Hamm, Jul 8, 2007 21:22

A short reply to Obs Erver. Not in my office. If a patient does not have insurance I treat him or her. They get a cash discount and a payment plan. The discount usually makes the bill less than medicaid reimbursement. Some patients pay five to ten dollars a week on their bill.

As far a socialized medicine goes you will just have a third party telling doctors how to practice medicine. I already have insurance company personnel with a manual telling me what I can prescribe and what tests I can run. Sometimes it takes six to eight months to gain approval for a surgery the patient needs to be able to do daily activities (like work) with minimal pain. Then there are the television attorneys always looking over your shoulder. So go ahead and bring on the government. How will people respond to rationed medical care. Rationing will happen with socialized medicine.

I treat patients, work long hours and am trying to increase my practice size. Because I want more money. Yes. Right now one weeks salary goes to SallieMae for medical school loans each month. But, if I practiced medicine just for the money I would have quit after my first year of medical school. I love what I do. I even love it when I have to read comment from a rectum (nice to have medical training) like Obs Erver.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.

Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
I have worked the past 20 years at a university.. with full benefits (dental, medical, vision). In April 2007 my... [MORE]	Monica Moshenko	Jul 14, 2007 10:47
It's time people stopped thinking that government and their employers owe them everythingl For centuries most employers did not pay... [MORE]	Reyne	Jul 10, 2007 01:05
Healthcare is and should be one of the top issues for the 2008 Election. However, while you point out most... [MORE]	RightWingDog	Jul 8, 2007 00:01
I am simply amazed at the number of people who still buy the flawed argument peddled by the health care... [MORE]	A Clear Thinking Conservative	Jul 9, 2007 15:57
I don't think you are either "clear thinking" or a "Conservative". How you can say that programs like national security,Education, infrastructure... [MORE]	RightWingDog	Jul 9, 2007 22:27
History shows us time and again that government is at best, ineffecient, and usually dangerous. These days, it takes forever... [MORE]	Javan	Jul 10, 2007 00:48
I have to ask what kind of conservative are YOU, that you don't believe that our national security rests rightfully... [MORE]	A Clear Thinking Conservative	Jul 12, 2007 18:24
Health Care now takes on two significant caveats: Its cost and homeland security. Perhaps we will all get infected by... [MORE]	James Stewart	Jul 7, 2007 08:44
I'm onen of that 99.9999% of Americans who are gravely concerned about our health care systerm. It is pretty much... [MORE]	jim patton	Jul 6, 2007 19:21
Why in the world would reasonably intelligent people want to degrade our first class medical system? [MORE]	Roland Kurtz	Jul 6, 2007 16:05
Good article! Food for thought about securing the borders in all ways and going after the 'deep pockets' that fund... [MORE]	Ann Schmidt	Jul 6, 2007 15:21
Since when is Ken Blackwell an expert on health systems, whether they be the U.S. system or any other country's?... [MORE]	Paul	Jul 6, 2007 13:48
We need to keep socialized medicine out of our country. It is best as it is said to have competition among... [MORE]	Marjorie Kennell	Jul 6, 2007 11:07
Because St. Petersburg has the Winter Palace doesn't mean Russia is the best place to live. Yes, if you possess stupendous... [MORE]	Obs Erver	Jul 5, 2007 20:38
A short reply to Obs Erver. Not in my office. If a patient does not have insurance I treat him...	R W Hamm	Jul 8, 2007 21:22

Reader comment on:Vulnerable Herein response to reader comment: Columnist Needs a New Rx for Glasses

Other reader comments on this article

Comment on Vulnerable Here

Reader comment on:
Vulnerable Here
in response to reader comment: Columnist Needs a New Rx for Glasses