" Yes, and it's also time to start putting some price control on the health care industry, too. Of course the doctor wasn't going to mention that though. Health care costs have risen at a rate much higher than any thing else in this country. The price gouging on drugs has to stop. A doctor steps into your hospital room and asks how you are and turns around and bills you an ungodly amount when he or she is in the room less than five minutes. The rates to stay in a hospital for uncomfortable beds and chairs is criminal. I can't decide which is the biggest scam in this country. Health care or the insurance industry. "

" It is interesting to get the opinion of a medical professional. Perhaps his suggestions would be worth trying. Certainly a better option than turning the health care system over to government bureaucrats who know nothing about health care and have not been efficient in anything else they have ever run. "

" And launch a healthy lifestyle campaign.

A dreamworld, for the poorest, it is much cheaper to buy bad food than it is healthy food, in fact, it's much cheaper to eat at a different bar each day because of the specials they run 5 days a week.


Increase payment rates for primary care physicians.



They already make more than almost every other profession out there.


Most importantly, paying primary care physicians fairly for the work they do will ensure that we have enough physicians to provide the quality care that everyone deserves.


When's the last time a Doctor ask for food stamps or waited in line at the food bank or wasn'r driving a really nice car? "

" Just Wondering

I had my Gal Bladder removed last year, the price, over $30,000.00. Before I could go under the knife, since I had High Blood Pressure, my sugery had to be approved by a cardiologist. He cam into my room, put his stethoscope to my heart, and then said, you're ok for surgery, less than 30 seconds, his bill? $550. "

" Eliminate the totally unnecessary, unbelievably greedy, amoral middleman called profit-driven health insurance and utilize efficiencies of scale: total savings in administrative overhead alone: $350 Billion (www.pnhp.org )

Subtract the $125 billion cost of care for the uinsured...

...equals at least $225 Billion in savings per year.

The additional savings in innocent human lives, easily preventable illnesses and disablings, bankruptcies, lawsuits over who has to pay the medical bills, etc. are incalcuable. "

" Let's see, Pay primary care physicians fairly for the work they do.

As Vinnie Barbarino used to say, Don't make me laugh, Ha, Ha, Ha

After paying doctors more, don't forget to stop malpractice suits so even bad doctors can make millions and be protected.


The price gouging on drugs has to stop.

It's funny that Doctors get huge kickbacks from Pharasuticals for prescribing their Meds.

==What should a doctor consider when he is about to choose a drug treatment for an ill patient? Certainly, the drug's effectiveness and safety are key factors, and possibly the cost if a cheaper alternative works just as well. But doctors should not choose a particular drug because manufacturers gave them office supplies or promised them free trips, and they should not be influenced in their decisions by prescription benefit managers who get kickbacks to promote certain brands. Such questionable practices are common, however, and Americans should support an effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to put a stop to them.== "

" We can argue until the cows come home about whether or not doctors are overpaid, however, the simple fact is that without doctors we don't get health care. Doctors usually begin their practice tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt just getting through med school. If doctors are so overpaid you should become one. "

" Hey Doc, until those of you from the medical profession can stop your greed for the all mighty dollar, you can take your opinion & stick it where the sun don't shine.
Until then, I'd rather watch paint dry, & take my chances. "

" Doctors usually begin their practice tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt just getting through med school.

And usually make enough in the 1st 3 years of practice to pay it off.


If doctors are so overpaid you should become one. "



Yeah, at 51 years old, I'm going to jump right into med school. By the time I'm finished, I'll have to retire. "

" last doctor I went to basically laughed at me and ignored what I had to say, did nothing, and then charged me $700 for it, nice huh? "

" $314 billion: Health care savings that can be realized from healthier lifestyles


That's approximate, no proof. "

" Went to a doctor once who told me very roughly that I am obese, and he didn't like helping people who didn't help themselves. I really ticked him off when I told him, I may be fat, but you're ugly and I can lose weight.

By the way, the medical description for obese is, 20 pounds or more over your target weight. I wonder how many people out there weigh 20 pounds more than they are supposed to. "

" Even with doctors sometimes we still don't get health care. Nobody is suggesting that doctors go to the poverty level, but people are getting tired of being ripped off because the doctors know they can get away with it. It is the same with the oil and electric companies. They have something that they know everybody needs and they are going to stick it to you. I believe in a competitive market, but when these companies basicly work together to drive up prices, something has to be done. Drugs made in this country and shipped to other countries who have price controls sell for one half to one third what they do here. I don't think those people are going broke, so it should be able to be done here. Shipping costs should be quite a bit less. But it is kept high here to line the companies pockets. I don't mind paying for goods and services I get. I just don't like to get ripped off while doing it. "

" The cost of health care is high, but the responsibility these highly skilled professionals have is crazy. They literally save lives - keep people from dying - radically change people's quality of life - for the better. Let's be honest - they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to earn a degree they can use to make a living - are they paid well - yes, are they highly skilled - yes. I assume that those of you who are complaining prefer to handle your health and the health care concerns of your loved ones yourselves. Or, if someone is seriously ill, do you go to the hospital or the doctor? I am also obese - my doctor has told me that - he's right. I need to make some lifestyle changes - he's right. Because I don't like what he has to say doesn't mean that it isn't right. And if your physician is that rude and abrasive - FIND ANOTHER ONE. "

" Beaches

I did.

And by the way, there is absolutely no excuse for any doctor to talk down to a patient, if caught, he should be fired immediately. "

" One of the biggest problems with our system is that when a hospital gets a medicare patient in they will run every possible test they can. Break a hip at a local hospital and they will have a speech therapist stop in several times so they can bill medicare. As long as they actually perform a service it's not fraud. Unethical for sure, but no laws are broken, so they can continue to soak the federal government, which is all of us taxpayers. "

" Harry Potter wrote on Nov 30, 2008 9:55 AM:
" One of the biggest problems with our system is that when a hospital gets a medicare patient in they will run every possible test they can. Break a hip at a local hospital and they will have a speech therapist stop in several times so they can bill medicare. As long as they actually perform a service it's not fraud.


And you wonder why we don't want the government involved in our health care. "

" "And you wonder why we don't want the government involved in our health care."
---
What health care would that be, Ed? About 50 million Americans don't have any. "

" Seriously eddie, you make it to easy. "