Valleywide Legal Blog

The Medicare Advantage Trap

More and more eligible Americans are signing up for Medicare Advantage plans.  And why not?  Celebrity spokespeople promise low to no premiums and benefits not available under traditional Medicare.  It sounds almost too good to be true.  “Get the benefits … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hospitals, Medical Costs, Medicare |

Doctors Who Steal

I have been writing lately about medical ethics, which are sometimes more ignored than followed.  The following are instances of doctors being greedy and trying to steal from insurance companies or from Medicare and Medicaid.  It doesn’t matter who you … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Pharmacies |

The Private Equity Investor Will See You Now, But Only For A Few Moments

On the whole, capitalism has been good for the United States.  Lately, however, the rise of private equity companies and their incessant search for centers of profitability has put the medical profession under great strain and our health at risk. … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Nurses |

Universal Health Care, Please

The United States is the only major developed nation in the world not to have universal health care.  We are the richest nation in the world.  Other nations can afford it and so can we.  It is not only a … Read More

Posted in Doctors, drug companies, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, healthy living, Hospitals, Medical Costs, Medicare, Type 2 Diabetes |

Our Broken Health Care Delivery System: Example 355

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are a major source of dysfunction in the distribution and pricing of prescription medications.  PBMs negotiate prices with drug manufacturers on behalf of insurance plans and determine what drugs go on the plans’ drug formularies, the … Read More

Posted in drug companies, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Medical Costs, Medicare, Pharmacies |

The You Tube Trained Surgeon

You Tube and social media are recognized disrupters of almost everything.  Now you can add surgery to the list. Hernia is the general name given to the protrusion of something through a retaining structure into an area where it does … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hospitals, Medical Costs, Medical Devices, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Medicare, robotic surgery, Surgical Errors |

Pay Me Now Or Pay Me Later

Maybe you remember the old television advertisement in which the auto mechanic told the audience that they could pay him now to install a new oil filter or they could pay him later when their car broke down due to … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hospitals, Medical Costs, Medicare |

State Medical Boards Continue To Fail The Public – Part 1

Reuters recently released the results of a lengthy investigation into practices of the Justice Department which permit accused fraudsters and malpracticing doctors to buy their way out of trouble and continue to practice in return for payment of a civil … Read More

Posted in Arizona Medical Board, disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Fraud, Hospitals, Lawsuits, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Medicare, Secrecy |

Unethical Doctors

For all their education and obvious talents, some doctors just can’t resist their worst impulses.  You should keep this in mind when you look for a doctor or when receiving advice from a doctor where the doctor stands to benefit, … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Fraud, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Medical Costs, Medical Devices, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Medicare, PODS, Secrecy |

Medical Debt Is Coming To A Household Near You

Medical debt is coming to a household near you, unless you are well-off.  If you are among the poorer Americans, the chances are high that you are carrying medical debt and that at least some of it is past due. … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, healthy living, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare |