Over the past three years, Felicia Donald’s annual premiums for medical insurance have found more than doubled, rising from $ 25000 to $ 66000th If the Fairfax, Va., birth assistants / gynecologists’ insurance for the renewal of ‘September, they expect to see, they jump up to $ 80,000, costs are now paid by a colleague, this month was extended.
In the economy, if we consider the costs, the increase, you can use on human beings in need of your services, “explains Donald. But for a hairdresser can be simple increase in the price for a cup of hair, if costs for the shampoo and conditioner cracks contracts with health plans do not allow doctors to increase the price of, say, a hysterectomy to offset rising premiums abuse.
Instead, an investigation has begun Donald $ 5-a-visit “office users free” this month to help increase coverage. Although their approach could novel, not to mention controversial, is only one example of how doctors in a number of countries began in 2004 to roughly the same way it began in 2003 as the fight against the increasing abuse of premiums.
They warn doctors in the armed forces to leave the room if the state has no legislature to limit the excesses of laws claims and awards. Critics, self-Test-chief of lawyers, how do you call a threat talk and unfounded claim that tort reform is unfair to patients victims of medical errors.
Protests planned
Given that the new open meetings law in some countries, many doctors prescribe their pads and withdrawal of protest posters:
• On Tuesday, Wyoming keep doctors’ collection of movement for reform “activities across the State to insist on reform offence. Wyoming Medical Society insists that doctors maintain joint meetings and press events to their embassy.
• On Wednesday, Maryland doctors “Rally for Change” in Annapolis, the capital of the country. “They are a statement to be heard loud and clear by our legal representatives, in Maryland, the General Assembly,” Mark Seigel, Bethesda OB-GYN, acting as president of MedChi, Maryland State Medical Society, Rally participants wrote.
• On February 4, Donald, in collaboration with other doctors to Virginia “White Coat Day”, a march on the State Capitol in Richmond.
He could not a good day to give birth to Virginia: Donald said she expects OB-GYNs, have been particularly hard hit by rising premiums for the entry into force. “Clothes for the day: comfortable shoes, white coats and 50, please bring your cards, leaving the legislature, if not in his office, if you stop to see it,” says the Medical Society of Virginia’s Web site.
• The following day, February 5, doctors in Kentucky is to “Medecins du Capitol in the day” in France Fort, for a change of Constitution would allow next year, the General Assembly to limit punitive damages action and the establishment of a system of arbitration absence claims.
In the meantime, the Kentucky Medical Association doctors on posters in the room patient examination. OB-GYNs two copies of a poster with a photograph of a taxi driver. “If this office closed, the poster reads,” someone could cancel your baby. ”
Conflict with health plans?
Although a smattering of doctors across the country for telephone conversations and other previously free services to cover management fees, registration offices “seems to be the first example of a supplement intended to cover hikes in particular Over the last fault insurance.
“What is a problem for the biggest problem,” said American Medical Association, President-Elect John Nelson, Salt Lake City OB-GYN, opposite the office water users’ a surcharge paid, it has recently at a hotel in the south-west. WADA has no policy in the sphere of the increase in the patient, said Nelson, but it is expected that the person concerned may be taken by the AMA House of Delegates at its next meeting.
Donald’s is one of at least three of Fairfax, Va., surgeries, began charging fees, this month, not only has no health insurance among patients, but also against many plans health “contracts with the doctors.
Scott Golden Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, said his company contracts for doctors’ fees to prohibit additional fees for services covered under benefits. “If this actually happens, we have concerns, and we are discussing with the doctors.”
Donald said the user $ 5 for participation fee to its abuse of insurance, not medical care. In addition, she says, it is not too much to ask. “Five dollars is what a cup and a half of Starbucks Coffee? Most people live. “Donald said she waived the fee for a patient so far, said they could not afford.
Greg Koons, another Fairfax OB-GYN, began a charging station patients costs $ 6 on Wednesday. He calculated that extra $ 6 covers 70% of the recent increase in the abuse of insurance. Koons said patients were treated with an overwhelming majority. “Several times, they said:” Why do not you? “”
Although the understanding of OB-GYNs’ Not, University of Pennsylvania ethics Arthur Caplan wondered if users are royalties correct answer. Caplan said: “I am really concerned that the co-pay be to deter persons of concern for themselves and their children and not solve the problems of maladministration, and only a small relief for doctors.