QUESTION: There is so much talk about the need for National Health Insurance. What are your thoughts on this?
ANSWER: The short answer—it would be a disaster! STOP and THINK! Would it be more affordable to deal directly with the doctor and the hospital OR send your money to Washington, and let THEM DECIDE what is best FOR YOU? Are people so gullible that they would believe the likes of Kennedy, Kerry, and Clinton, who have never had a job outside of politics? Believe the masters of deception, who have a DIFFERENT health plan than the one they want YOU to have? Again, the short answer is, they would provide “healthcare for everyone (including the 43 million uninsured Americans they whine incessantly about)” by setting a FIXED AMOUNT to be divided up to provide the medical care for each person. When the fund runs out of money, regardless of whether it is June 30th or September 30th, nothing else will be paid for—unless we come groveling to them to beg them to take more of our money to divide it up in their SOCIALIST WELFARE SCHEME.
QUESTION: Can you be specific how a single payer system would cost MORE of OUR MONEY?
ANSWER: Thank you for asking. Here is a LOCAL example of how middlemen (insurance companies and government bureaucracies) drive up the cost of health care: A man came in to get a referral for a CT scan. He had survived two previous cancers, and had to have a yearly CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis for surveillance, to detect any recurrence. One year ago, he had a major health plan which DICTATED that he get his scan at a certain hospital in Wichita. The hospital charged $6,000! The insurance company paid $3600, leaving the patient to pay 20% of $6,000 (not the $3600) for out of pocket cost of $1200. Sounds like insurance really helped. This year, with NO INSURANCE, he was worried what it would cost. I called a facility, told them I had a CASH patient, and scheduled him for a TOTAL COST of $1100!! So, exactly what did the insurance company contribute to this man’s health care? NOTHING! The $3600 could have gone into HIS PAYCHECK instead of being paid by the employer to the insurance company. Would you rather pay $1200 (with insurance) or $1100?
ANSWER: IF our elected politicians would rescind the exemptions that permit insurance companies to PENALIZE their subscribers for being good consumers, more patients would obtain affordable, quality services by paying cash, such as the patient above. If that insurance company was smart they would pay the patient the full $1100 for the CT scans when he was insured by them. BUT, they are greedy and want CONTROL, so they would rather pay the $3600 and raise the employer’s premiums the next year, perhaps why the patient no longer had insurance. DOCTORS could stop playing the insurance game. In our clinic, we charge FAIR prices to everyone, INSURED and UNINSURED. The patients like getting to spend more DIRECT time with the doctor (and their annual deductible buys so much more care) and are willing to pay at the time of service. DOCTORS could donate time each week in cooperation with such LOCAL health ministries as World Impact, who positions their Mobile Medical Clinic at specific locations in Wichita each week to serve part of the “43 million uninsured Americans”. And let’s be clear. Lack of insurance does not mean medical care is unavailable. And lack of insurance does not mean the person is poor. It means the individual must be responsible to get AFFORDABLE care, just like they choose affordable food, shelter, and cars.
If HOSPITALS would ban together to fight the rules that allow Medicare and insurance companies to pay DISCOUNTED rates, while UNINSURED are charged the maximum rate, health care would be more affordable.
QUESTION: So, what exactly do you do to be sure that ALL AMERICANS have access to quality health care?
ANSWER: As I said before, we charge fair prices to everyone who comes to our clinics. I don’t have to employ insurance clerks, so we don’t have to add $40 insurance billing overhead to each visit. I spend as much time with each patient as they choose to purchase—they determine what their visit will cost. Every Tuesday, after a full day in the office, I DONATE my services to patients who present to the World Impact Mobile Clinic from 6:30 to 9:30PM at the Tuesday location. Jesus said, “The poor will always be among you.” No government program can eliminate all poverty. WE must do OUR part LOCALLY, and not put our trust and health in the hands of self-serving politicians.
QUESTION: Finally, what would you recommend a patient do?
ANSWER: Buy a high deductible, major medical policy to protect you from a health disaster that requires hospitalization. That way, you OWN your own policy, regardless of where you work. Then you won’t get caught “uninsured” or bitten by the outrageous COBRA premiums between jobs. Then find a doctor who is interested in YOU, not your insurance plan. To find a doctor like that, you can go to
http://www.simplecare.com/ Learn to ASK THE DOCTOR, “Is this test really necessary?” We all know that far too many tests are done, because “it’s covered by your insurance.
