Review: "Some Firms Save Money By Offering Employees Free Surgery" - NPR
To what depths will our insanity go? Michael Tomsic's article was well written and sad. Very sad. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/04/20/474413496/some-firms-save-money-by-offering-employees-free-surgery Take a step back and ask yourself: why should a business executive have a say in your healthcare? I'm not sure who Bob Ihrie is but I'll guess he's a delightful and hardworking guy since he's worked his way up to senior vice president. But is he the best per
Q: "But what about people who still can't afford healthcare?"
This question has been posted time and again by different people; they all seem worried about people who can't afford healthcare in our present system somehow not being able to afford care in the PSYCH system. First thing, more people will be able to afford healthcare because the cost of healthcare will be lower. Period. (Read previous posts to see how.) And since everyone gets their one yearly comprehensive visit (via their General Health Fee) if they don't get sick for t
Review: "Supreme Court Strikes At States' Efforts On Health Care Transparency" - NPR
This was a "wtf" article published by Charles Ornstein for ProPublica and distributed via NPR. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/02/468756393/supreme-court-strikes-at-states-efforts-on-health-care-transparency Take a few minutes to read this article and let it sink in. Now say it with me: what. the. f*ck? The general gist is that the Supreme Court upheld that "a 1974 law precludes states from requiring that every health care claim involving their residents b
Review: "Medical Bills Still Take A Big Toll, Even With Insurance" - NPR
This was published by Alison Kodjak of NPR on 3/8/2016 http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/08/468892489/medical-bills-still-take-a-big-toll-even-with-insurance Another poignant story of unnecessary Americans suffering. As a provider that sees this day in and out, I shake my head. Not in disbelief but in fury...I'm starting to get upset. I respect NPR, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health; they even published a poll
Q: "Have you hired protection yet?"
This question was posed to me by a fellow psychiatrist whom I deeply respect. I fully understand where the question comes from: when you're messing with a social construct that makes rich people richer, they will do anything in their power to maintain that power and wealth. Sometimes that means silencing or discrediting the voice causing the ruckus. I don't have a death wish nor do I want to be in the national spotlight. I don't like the idea of anarchy and I have no desir
Active Learning: Find the medical subversion
Today, I am launching a new blog heading called "Active Learning." I'm ripping off the idea from a requirement we had in college wherein us wide eyed undergrads were required to step outside our comfort zone and participate in activities we wouldn't normally. (For example, my first yoga class happen back then. (Good times.) The goal is to give you opportunities to learn more about the healthcare system you're paying thousands of dollars into. Your first assignment: befor
Review: "People with Minor Injuries are Increasingly Getting CT Scans." - NPR
Nancy Shute published this article for NPR on 1/19/2016 http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/19/463591099/people-with-minor-injuries-are-increasingly-getting-ct-scans It's a short article but makes two very important points for why healthcare costs will continue to rise under our current system. They interviewed Dr. Renee Hsia who was senior author on the paper. Dr. Hsia states "patients tend to want to be safe...but sometimes they want more rather than less. I
Q: "Did you hear what Martin Shkreli said?"
This question was posed to me by a friend. My answer: "of course I did." His response: "that guy's an asshole." My response: "maybe, but he's doing what he was hired to do." Let me be clear. I don't care for folks who are so blinded by money that they trample over anyone and everyone to get more. But he was hired by a business to do what businesses do. Make money. As much of it as possible. The fact that it may have negative repercussions on people's lives is secondar
Review: "Debate Sharpens Over Single-Payer Health Care, But What Is It Exactly?" - NPR
This was a post by Julie Rovner on 1/22/2016 in collaboration with Kaiser Health News. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/22/463976098/debate-sharpens-over-single-payer-health-care-but-what-is-it-exactly This short article should be required reading for every American because it clarifies the different types of healthcare paradigms we're currently using. "A single-payer system is not the same thing as socialized medicine. In a truly socialized medicine system, t
Q: "Do you have your confirmation number?"
This was the question I was asked by the front desk staff of a hotel nestled amongst the goliaths of the Texas Medical Center. Last weekend, after working a full 8 hour shift at the community hospital doing psychiatric consults, I drove 4 hours to Houston to see my Mom who had suffered a massive stroke. I arrived around 9:30pm. The hospital in question was a testament to old excess, suffering from entropy and bad management. Anywhoo, while I was in the ICU with my sister an