Senior News September, 2001 Vol. 20. No.  9

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Unsung heroes: Bridgeville Lunch Bunch creates a community

Unsung Heroes

Remembering Spirit: Who are your unsung heroes?

Grandparents' Day takes on a different feel

Ask the Nurse

Is there a "brain drain" among California physicians?

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Ask the Nurse
by Roseann Potter, PHN

Dear Nurse Potter,

Through the years I have noticed a change in the doctors' offices that I go to. It seems like five years ago I had at least 30 minutes with my doctor, but now I am lucky to get ten minutes. I also worry about the charge to Medicare. It seems like a lot. What is happening? - Polly

Dear Polly,

There have been some changes in the time that primary care practitioners have with their patients. The reasons for this vary, and I don't profess to know them all. From my personal experience, I have observed the following-primary care practitioners have a large number of staff members working for them because the practice of medicine has become more sophisticated. They need billers, appointment people, medical assistants, and people who follow through with all the reporting and follow up.

These people are necessary for the practitioners to keep track of the large volume of patients they must see, and they must see a large volume of patients because reimbursements from insurance companies are so low that more patients need to be seen to economically continue their practice.

When you get your Medicare bill and it says a certain number, that does not mean the practitioner is getting that. It could be 1/4 to 1/2 of what was billed. It is the same with HMOs.

We should all be concerned with this. I for one do not want to see my excellent practitioners go out of business because they cannot economically make it. But that sadly is what I see happening.

What can you do about it? Write your representatives and call for reimbursement rates to equal what it costs. We may have to pay more in taxes, but we need our physicians and hospitals to stay in business. We need to tell the government that we don't like what is going on.

We all deserve 30 minutes to one hour with our practitioners, but unless we complain and try to change things, we will never get it. Practitioners and hospitals deserve to be paid what it costs to run their businesses.

So write to your representatives, senators and the president. After all, they have the best medical care. We should all be so lucky.

Roseann Potter is a Senior Public Health Nurse for Humboldt County. To ask a question for this column, phone 707-268-2173.