[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Well, I have an HMO that I pay a small premium for. In order to get the HMO plan that would allow me to see my original gastroenterologist, I would have to pay over $100 per pay period. I can't afford it. In the mean time, my new gastro thinks my new PCP should be writing my Crohn's scripts and managing my disease. My PCP (and I) think a gastro should be doing it. The result? I'm almost out of meds and can't get anybody to renew them. Now what? When I showed the old gastro the list of 4 gastros I could pick from in the new plan, he highly recommended this one.. in fact, he goes to this guy himself. His PA told me that she wouldn't send her dogs to any of the other 3 because they are that bad. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

(And yeah, I got the only female PCP who speaks English clearly who was taking new patients, so don't suggest I change PCPs) I'm pretty stuck.

Anyway, I've been working in health care for 20 years now. I've seen it go nothing but downhill in those 20 years. The system is going to crash and I don't know what will happen then. I do know that no hospital should have to provide $300 mil in free care a year. It's not fair to inner city hospitals and could drive them away from indigent areas which obviously would be awful. Co-pays are going up and up and up every year.

I am proud of some steps that my health care system have taken. They have been totally vendor incentive free for a full year now. It used to be ridiculous to see how many people those pharmaceutical reps would feed and how much stuff they gave away every single month. So, no more vendor gifts allowed to anybody in our system by any vendor. Vendors have to register with our health system and take a one day certification course to be allowed on the premises at all. Seems to be working.

Since most of the work in my department is NIH based research, I can concur with AKA Monet about that. Funding has gone way down. Grants that make extremely high scores now aren't being funded. It's getting a little scary. Seriously, people don't go into research to make money. If you want to make money, there are a zillion other things to do. Auto line workers make more money than a entry level PhD biostatistician or epidemiologist. They are doing this to follow their passion and make a difference in the world (they hope). Me? I just keep their computers going. I know that I could make a whole lot more money in IT in other industries but I am proud of what they do, proud to make it possible for them and I don't think I could handle a more "corporate" atmosphere. (I'm also never on call, which is very good).

On top of the huge issues related to payment, we have a serious shortage of RNs and Doctors. Big problem.

you know...10 yeas ago my co pay was 5 dollars....now it's $25.....and sometimes just 25 just for them to say







"HHHmmmmm...."