Valleywide Legal Blog

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

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

Health Care Rationing Is Here and Always Has Been

Very few words stir more passion when discussing health care than “rationing.”  It sounds terrible.  It conjures up images of loved ones being denied life-saving treatment.  It gives rise to attention-seeking politicians claiming there are “death panels” coming for you … Read More

Posted in Health Care Costs, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Rationing, Secrecy |

How Much Longer Can Fee For Service Last?

I recently read a post by a representative of the American College of Cardiology which discussed the origin of the fee for service model and its pernicious effects on the delivery of health care in the United States.  Fee for … Read More

Posted in Defensive Medicine, Doctors, Fee for Service, health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, healthy living, Hospitals, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, Rationing |

Hospital Greed in the Era of Covid.

It is late May 2020 in the Imperial Valley of California.  The sun is high and hot.  Temperatures exceed 110 degrees.  The Novel Coronavirus is also running hot.  The only two hospitals in the entire Imperial Valley are swamped with … Read More

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

Happy New Year – Big Pharma Is Raising Drug Prices Again And People Are Dying As A Result.

The price of drugs has been going up and up for the last 20 years as the big drug companies have raised prices over and over again for no reason other than a desire for record profits.  No one in … Read More

Posted in drug companies, General Health, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, healthy living, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Pharmacies, Rationing |

Hospital Consolidation Is Driving Up Health Care Costs.

Last week I wrote about hospitals not knowing exactly what their costs were for various procedures.  Without that information, they cannot make informed decisions about pricing.  Without informed decisions about pricing, there can be no price competition.  There also can … Read More

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

The Fee for Service Compensation Method: Bad for Doctors, Bad for Patients

The prevailing method for compensating health care providers in this country is the “Fee for Service” model.  A doctor doesn’t get paid unless he or she does something to or for you.  Keeping you well does not count.  As a … Read More

Posted in Defensive Medicine, Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, healthy living, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, PODS, Prostate Cancer, Rationing |

The Rising Costs of Medical Care

I came across an interesting post in the New York Times recently.  A mother was recounting her experiences with her daughter who had sprained an ankle at dance camp.  The pediatrician said it would get better over time.  When the ankle didn’t get … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Health Care Costs, Malpractice costs, Medical Costs, Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, Rationing | Tagged , , |

Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Not Causing Doctor Shortage in Arizona

There is a shortage of doctors in Arizona and it’s getting worse. You’ve probably heard stories about doctors being driven out of practice by the the high cost of malpractice insurance and how this is causing doctors to leave the … Read More

Posted in Doctors, General Health, Health Care Costs, Rationing | Tagged , |

Like It Or Not, Rationing Is Coming

Many of my friends object from time to time about various health care or Medicare reform plans on the grounds that they would involve rationing of health care.  I respond that every plan for health care or Medicare reform which is serious … Read More

Posted in Health Care Costs, Medical Costs, Medicare, Rationing |