Posted by
DEEPAK MEHTA on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 11:00:00 PM
I am a Family Physician practicing for last 34 yrs. I have practiced medicine in Urban and rural area. Also practiced in the city and the suburbs. I have had experince with Medicare, medicaid andprivate insurance. Emergency medicine and Urgent care and Occupational health. The reason I am presenting my Resume because I want to explain why Obama care is not the answer to our Health care problem. The Primary care physician faces major hurdles in terms of managing the patients demands. With the advent of Internet and online health informatics explosion, our Modern patients are very educated. They know their rights and needs. At the same time they also have become deemading more and more care , expensive care and nothing less as long as it is fully paid by insurance companies. Like demanding MRI for acute injury like minor ankle sprins or knee sprain or low back strain which is not prudent to do in an acute phase any way most of the time. But patientsdo not take no for an answer. So physicians give into their demands for this and multitude of situation. what this means is Health care cost increases leaps and bounds. Physicians also giving in to avoid Liability issue -- this is defensive medicine. Mr. Obama is against Tort reform but at the same time he wants Physicians to use judgement and practice very responsibly to cut the cost. This is like " Eating and laughing at the same time??!!
If patients are not taught the Responsibility and if they do not change their attitude and behaviour in dealing with these issues like respecting the judgement of the doctor and trusting their doctor the health care dollars will be wasted. Also if patients feel that it is their right to get what ever they ask without concern for the cost they will be disappointed with Gov. run Health care once government start denying the tests and medicines. That will turn them against their doctors for not fulfilling their needs or demands. Politicians right now offering lots of hopes and painting false rosey picture of Gov. run health care benefits and advantages and more care for cheap or free - it will back fire big time. Canada and France and Briton are smaller nations. Our population is all those nations combined and more. Initially it may seem fine and dandy but as the cost and taxes start rising with passing of time it will creat Havoc.
By passing Can and trade, health care in less than a 1 year of his administration- rushing through the congress by hook or crook- Mr.O is buiding a Monument for himself and reserving a place on Mount Rushmore for himself. To prove himself to be a " CUT ABOVE" Nothing less nothing more.
He will keep the health care programm running and keep solvent by breaking the backs of Rich people of this country and on the backs of physicians by keep cutting their fees and making them work like slaves.
The whole thing sounds disaster for the country as well as for the medical community at large. I am ashamed of being a member of AMA for last 33 years. They have betrayed most of the physicians particularly primary car physicians- who have seen their share of the pay pie has been shrinking for last 20 years. Lots of physicians will leave their practices prematurely as we had it with this countrie s health care even now. And the way it is going to be once Mr. O gets his superbowl RING.??!!