Valleywide Legal Blog
Thanks to Health Insurance Health Care Is Getting Worse.
In the United States, we already pay more than any other developed nation for health care, but have poorer outcomes in major categories of care, such as infant mortality, life expectancy, obesity levels and rate of suicide, just to name … Read More
Some Medicare Advantage Plans Are Taking Us For A Ride
In 2003, Congress made a major change to Medicare. In the hopes of reducing costs through privatization, it created what are called Medicare Advantage plans. The idea was that private companies would be paid a fixed amount to provide Medicare … Read More
Doctors Behaving Badly.
Doctors are not immune to the mores of the society around them. It seems that everywhere we look today, we see a coarsening of society. Past generations may have cursed, but they didn’t do it all the time or loudly … Read More
Doctor Conflicts of Interest Are Getting Worse.
“Under no circumstances may physicians place their own financial interests above the welfare of their patients.” American Medical Association Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 11.2.2. Doctors rightly occupy a privileged position in our society. We entrust them with our bodies, … Read More
Posted in Doctors, drug companies, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hip Replacement, Hospitals, joint replacement, Medical Costs, Medical Devices, medical ethics, Medicare, Plastic Surgery, PODS, Prostate Cancer, Secrecy | Fee For Service Isn’t Working.
Every year it is the same old story. Americans pay more per person for health care than any other developed country in the world and yet our health care outcomes don’t measure up to the other countries. We spend twice … Read More
Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, healthy living, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Nurses, Obesity, obesity epidemic | Beware! Beware! Beware! Part II
Last week I wrote about scams being perpetrated on patients. This week the scammers took on Medicare and the health insurance industry. Over a period of five years, a woman and her doctor husband operated a surgery “institute,” which defrauded … Read More
Beware! Beware! Beware!
Healthcare is a multi-billion dollar industry. Where there is money, there are fraudsters and scammers. The healthcare industry has more than its share. Some of these scammers target Medicare and health insurers but many target individuals. Don’t be one of … Read More
“Get That Money.”
That was the message to employees of a dermatology practice in the Midwest that had been purchased by a hedge fund. The bosses at the hedge fund were encouraging the employees of the dermatology practice to get more patients scheduled … Read More
Hey, Medicare Beneficiaries, There Is No Free Lunch!
Recently, I was stuck in front of a television that was showing a nature program. Every few minutes, it was advertisement time. Because this was early November and Medicare beneficiaries can change their Medicare plans at this time of year, … Read More
Be Careful
The physician/patient relationship is one of the most important in our lives. We place our lives and our trust in the hands of the physicians who provide medical treatment to us and our families. We want to believe that they … Read More
