2016 Health Insurance Premiums
Those of us in the private health insurance market in Minnesota are being socked with 40-50% increases in premiums eff 1-1-16. I may have to put the RV up on blocks and park it in the driveway. I have...
Forum Discussion
Walaby wrote:
OBTW - my primary care doctor personally apologized to me because he is spending more time dealing with government regulations, that take away from his time to provide me with the services I am accustomed to. He used to call me at home, at night and follow up on some issues with my wife and I. He quit doing that because he was just too swamped with govt bureaucracy, and too tired to follow up outside of office hours. So, yeah, lets levy even MORE bureaucracy on my doctor.
I think the fear of malpractice suits and the price of THEIR insurance is driving a lot of caring Family Practitioners into joining larger conglomerations? I'm seeing that happen in our area, and when it does, that Personal Touch goes out the window.
Sometimes common sense goes out the window, too. A dear friend of mine stepped on a log that was underwater, and a sharp piece of branch punctured his water shoes and foot last April. The ER gave him some antibiotics, crutches, and sent him home. When the hole in his foot grew bigger and still constantly drained pus, he went back; and they gave him different antibiotics. He told them he could see a dark spot under the skin - they said "it will take care of itself". Finally, in August, after a third round of antibiotics (Levaquin) gave him a severe case of tendinitis as a side effect, he took an Xacto knife and a pair of tweezers and did his own surgery. He extracted 2 pieces of wood the size of large vitamin pills; and the hole immediately healed.
Furthermore, fear of malpractice prevents small urban health clinics from being formed, so when a mom has a child with the flu - she must go to the emergency room at the hospital, which costs a TON. (And ties up resources designed for trauma cases).
