Health care - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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.

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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