RE: WSJ - 300,000 operators will be right with you.

[Guest guest]

Jim,

If you could aggregate the lost care and the human cost of disease burden by the bloated administrative cost you would quickly trade the 300,000 jobs for the lives lost and care delayed in a heartbeat.

While on vacation in South Carolina, a national newspaper had a story of a young woman who presented to the ER with a kidney stone. She died three days later of sepsis. She chose to stay home and not return to the ER when her condition worsened. She was waiting to see a doctor in the office on Monday. A tragedy, similar to the US diplomat that died secondary to complications of appendicitis after 24hour admission. They both died from being at home when in years past they would both have been in the hospital.

The tragedy is on both sides here. Lost life and lost medical care. The 3 million award in the former case cost 12,000 people a year of quality primary care. Lost as insurance premiums that will never go to the care of patients. Every part of the system that does not provide access, quality, or direct patient care is a leech on the neck of primary care and ultimately is paid by human suffering.

I don't want them to all lose their jobs and pensions and good insurance. I want control of the resource to reallocate to actual care. I want to employ a nurse who continually improves the quality of my patients lives. We are the brains of the system but don't control the process, insurance carriers, hospitals, federal government, and state government do. Give me the resources and I will change the face and body of health-care for real improvement in health and real decreases in suffering.

Please hold the next available operator will be right with you. This call will be recorded to ensure quality. Press * to disconnect or # to return to the main menu. Your wait time is approximately 5 minutes. Your call is important to use and will be answered in the order it was received. A clean claim will be paid within 30 days. If this is an emergency please hang up and dial 911.

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no operators, no claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

To: " " < >Sent: Thu, June 10, 2010 8:48:34 AMSubject: RE: WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On RatesI guess when you said, "thus, their "relative profit margin" is 25%, you did not mean their profit margin. Ok but even the salaries are not part of the profit, they are a cost. You may believe that these people are overpaid, that is your judgement, but it is still not profit. You are correct the insurance companies do not produce a product, they do provide a service. We also do not produce a product, but provide a service. I dislike the concept of any insurance, including house, auto and especially

life insurance, but the concept is protect your assets against unexpected cost. The health companies seemed to have overstepped this when their coverage is termed or capped.One of the health economists who lectured for the class I held at the medical school was found of pointing out that the majority of the administrative costs were spent as salaries of the 300,000 or so individuals who process claims, answer the phone, and do the paper work of the insurance companies. What would you have them do? Closing them would result in the largest blow to the economy of any business breakdown. This would make the auto industry collapse look like a drop in the bucket.________________________________________From: [ ] On Behalf Of Malia [tmalia@...]Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 7:14 PMTo: Subject: Re: WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On RatesJim, the "20%" is the portion of the money paid to insurers that does not got to health care services. I never suggested it was their profits. But of that 20%, about 3/4 (15% of total) is administrative/marketing (including nice salaries for some high level executives as others have pointed out), and the other 1/4 (5% of total) is the "profit." I was saying that in a way that "5% profit" actually represents 25% of the money that is not used for health care services which

is the actual product the patients were paying for.And, that actual profit is 25% greater than the total salaries of all primary care physicians in the USA even though the private insurers only cover about half the costs of care in America.And I still contend that is crazy.Tim Malia, MD (phone / fax)www.MaliaFamilyMedicine.comwww.SkinSenseLaser.comMalia Family Medicine & Skin Sense Laser6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd.Perinton Square MallFairport, NY 14450-- Confidentiality Notice --This email message, including all the attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and contains confidential information. Unauthorized use or disclosure is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, disclose, copy or

disseminate this information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message, including attachments. WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On RatesI love the deliciousness of what the insurance companies are saying.Basically, what docs have said the last

decade -- if Medicare doesn't raise it's rates a little each year, it's like a paycut and we eventually lose money.Suspect this is a glimpse of FutureWorld -- where the gov't will start setting rates, margins for insurances will be less, and therefore, what they pay docs will continue to tighten down.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704726104575291121755620054.htmlMedicare Insurers Warned On RatesOn Monday, insurers that sell Medicare Advantage plans must submit their 2011 bids to the government. In a letter to four insurance-industry executives, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned the companies not to increase premiums and co-payments for seniors."Focus on price and quality rather than asking seniors who need health care the most to pay more for it," Ms. Sebelius wrote in a lettersnip/snipMany insurance companies are planning to increase costs for a range of

services for seniors next year, according to consultants who have helped prepare their bids. Dozens of Medicare Advantage providers plan to cut back vision, dental and prescription benefits. Some plans are eliminating free teeth cleanings and gym memberships, and raising fees for hearing aides, eye glasses and emergency-room visits.Consultants cite two reasons for the cuts. The rate the government will pay private insurers to run the plans is frozen for 2011 at 2010 levels, while medical costs are expected to increase an average of at least 6%. Such price increases and benefit cuts will help them recoup that difference, the consultants say.snip/snipThe Obama administration and Senate Democrats say that passing those costs on as early as next year is unfair. In her letter, Ms. Sebelius warned insurers that she will deny insurers bids if they include excessive price increases, using new powers under the health

law.snip/snipThe insurance industry, which estimates the payment cuts from the health overhaul will total approximately $200 billion over a decade, says it can't absorb those cuts on its own, and must pass them onto customers starting next year."Washington can't slash $200 billion out of Medicare Advantage and then try to shift the blame to the health plans that administer the program when those cuts inevitably result in higher premiums and benefit reductions for seniors," said Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group. Gorman, chief executive of Gorman Health Group, a Washington-based consulting company that works with about 200 Medicare Advantage providers, said, "The expectation is that the operating costs of these plans are going to go up pretty substantially. ...We look at the bids in 2011 as really kind of a bridge to this reimagined" Medicare advantage

program.=====================------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

here here!!Nice to have you back Egly.

 

Jim,

 

If you could aggregate the lost care and the human cost of disease burden by the bloated administrative cost you would quickly trade the 300,000 jobs for the lives lost and care delayed in a heartbeat.

 

While on vacation in South Carolina, a national newspaper had a story of a young woman who presented to the ER with a kidney stone.  She died three days later of sepsis.  She chose to stay home and not return to the ER when her condition worsened. She was waiting to see a doctor in the office on Monday.  A tragedy,  similar to the US diplomat that died secondary to complications of appendicitis after 24hour admission.  They both died from being at home when in years past they would both have been in the hospital.

 

 

The tragedy is on both sides here.  Lost life and lost medical care. The 3 million award in the former case cost 12,000 people a year of quality primary care.  Lost as insurance premiums that will never go to the care of patients.  Every part of the system that does not provide access, quality, or direct patient care is a leech on the neck of primary care and ultimately is paid by human suffering.

 

I don't want them to all lose their jobs and pensions and good insurance. I want control of the resource to reallocate to actual care.  I want to employ a nurse who continually improves the quality of my patients lives.  We are the brains of the system but don't control the process, insurance carriers, hospitals, federal government, and state government do.  Give me the resources and I will change the face and body of health-care for real improvement in health and real decreases in suffering. 

 

Please hold the next available operator will be right with you. This call will be recorded to ensure quality.  Press * to disconnect or # to return to the main menu.  Your wait time is approximately 5 minutes. Your call is important to use and will be answered in the order it was received.  A clean claim will be paid within 30 days.  If this is an emergency please hang up and dial 911.

 

 

 

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no operators, no claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To: " " < >

Sent: Thu, June 10, 2010 8:48:34 AMSubject: RE: WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

I guess when you said, " thus, their " relative profit margin " is 25%, you did not mean their profit margin. Ok but even the salaries are not part of the profit, they are a cost. You may believe that these people are overpaid, that is your judgement, but it is still not profit. You are correct the insurance companies do not produce a product, they do provide a service. We also do not produce a product, but provide a service. I dislike the concept of any insurance, including house, auto and especially

life insurance, but the concept is protect your assets against unexpected cost. The health companies seemed to have overstepped this when their coverage is termed or capped.One of the health economists who lectured for the class I held at the medical school was found of pointing out that the majority of the administrative costs were spent as salaries of the 300,000 or so individuals who process claims, answer the phone, and do the paper work of the insurance companies. What would you have them do? Closing them would result in the largest blow to the economy of any business breakdown. This would make the auto industry collapse look like a drop in the bucket.

________________________________________From: [ ] On Behalf Of Malia [tmalia@...]

Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 7:14 PMTo: Subject: Re: WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

Jim, the " 20% " is the portion of the money paid to insurers that does not got to health care services. I never suggested it was their profits. But of that 20%, about 3/4 (15% of total) is administrative/marketing (including nice salaries for some high level executives as others have pointed out), and the other 1/4 (5% of total) is the " profit. " I was saying that in a way that " 5% profit " actually represents 25% of the money that is not used for health care services which

is the actual product the patients were paying for.And, that actual profit is 25% greater than the total salaries of all primary care physicians in the USA even though the private insurers only cover about half the costs of care in America.

And I still contend that is crazy.Tim Malia, MD (phone / fax)www.MaliaFamilyMedicine.comwww.SkinSenseLaser.com

Malia Family Medicine & Skin Sense Laser6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd.Perinton Square MallFairport, NY 14450-- Confidentiality Notice --This email message, including all the attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and contains confidential information. Unauthorized use or disclosure is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, disclose, copy or

disseminate this information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message, including attachments. WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On RatesI love the deliciousness of what the insurance companies are saying.

Basically, what docs have said the last

decade -- if Medicare doesn't raise it's rates a little each year, it's like a paycut and we eventually lose money.Suspect this is a glimpse of FutureWorld -- where the gov't will start setting rates, margins for insurances will be less, and therefore, what they pay docs will continue to tighten down.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704726104575291121755620054.htmlMedicare Insurers Warned On Rates

On Monday, insurers that sell Medicare Advantage plans must submit their 2011 bids to the government. In a letter to four insurance-industry executives, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned the companies not to increase premiums and co-payments for seniors.

" Focus on price and quality rather than asking seniors who need health care the most to pay more for it, " Ms. Sebelius wrote in a lettersnip/snipMany insurance companies are planning to increase costs for a range of

services for seniors next year, according to consultants who have helped prepare their bids. Dozens of Medicare Advantage providers plan to cut back vision, dental and prescription benefits. Some plans are eliminating free teeth cleanings and gym memberships, and raising fees for hearing aides, eye glasses and emergency-room visits.

Consultants cite two reasons for the cuts. The rate the government will pay private insurers to run the plans is frozen for 2011 at 2010 levels, while medical costs are expected to increase an average of at least 6%. Such price increases and benefit cuts will help them recoup that difference, the consultants say.

snip/snipThe Obama administration and Senate Democrats say that passing those costs on as early as next year is unfair. In her letter, Ms. Sebelius warned insurers that she will deny insurers bids if they include excessive price increases, using new powers under the health

law.snip/snipThe insurance industry, which estimates the payment cuts from the health overhaul will total approximately $200 billion over a decade, says it can't absorb those cuts on its own, and must pass them onto customers starting next year.

" Washington can't slash $200 billion out of Medicare Advantage and then try to shift the blame to the health plans that administer the program when those cuts inevitably result in higher premiums and benefit reductions for seniors, " said Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group.

Gorman, chief executive of Gorman Health Group, a Washington-based consulting company that works with about 200 Medicare Advantage providers, said, " The expectation is that the operating costs of these plans are going to go up pretty substantially. ...We look at the bids in 2011 as really kind of a bridge to this reimagined " Medicare advantage

program.=====================------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

"

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no operators, no

claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

"

Pretty much sums it up. AAFP is all about institutions and teams and

being part of the so called " Health Care System " . Just

like the little child who desperately wants to play with the big kids

and will do ANYTHING to be like them and

be accepted. But we can only join the " Health Care System " on their

terms. I think AAFP ought to dump their affiliation with

the AMA and only associate with other Primary Care Speciaties (FORM the

group if necessary); Then they could advocate

for the people who actually deliver so much medical care, rather than

begging for crumbs.

Jim

[Guest guest]

Amazing post! I agree with it’s great to see you back on the

list serve.

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Egly

Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 11:08 AM

To:

Subject: Re: WSJ - 300,000 operators will be right

with you.

Jim,

If you could aggregate the lost care and the human cost of

disease burden by the bloated administrative cost you would quickly trade the

300,000 jobs for the lives lost and care delayed in a heartbeat.

While on vacation in South Carolina, a national newspaper

had a story of a young woman who presented to the ER with a kidney stone.

She died three days later of sepsis. She chose to stay home and not

return to the ER when her condition worsened. She was waiting to see a doctor

in the office on Monday. A tragedy, similar to the US

diplomat that died secondary to complications of appendicitis after 24hour

admission. They both died from being at home when in years past they

would both have been in the hospital.

The tragedy is on both sides here. Lost life and lost

medical care. The 3 million award in the former case cost 12,000 people a

year of quality primary care. Lost as insurance premiums that will never

go to the care of patients. Every part of the system that does not

provide access, quality, or direct patient care is a leech on the neck of

primary care and ultimately is paid by human suffering.

I don't want them to all lose their jobs and pensions and

good insurance. I want control of the resource to reallocate to

actual care. I want to employ a nurse who continually improves the

quality of my patients lives. We are the brains of the system but don't

control the process, insurance carriers, hospitals, federal government, and

state government do. Give me the resources and I will change the face and

body of health-care for real improvement in health and real decreases in

suffering.

Please hold the next available operator will be right with

you. This call will be recorded to ensure quality. Press * to disconnect

or # to return to the main menu. Your wait time is approximately 5

minutes. Your call is important to use and will be answered in the order it was

received. A clean claim will be paid within 30 days. If this is an

emergency please hang up and dial 911.

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no

operators, no claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

To: " "

< >

Sent: Thu, June 10, 2010 8:48:34 AM

Subject: RE: WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On

Rates

I guess when you said, " thus, their " relative profit margin " is

25%, you did not mean their profit margin. Ok but even the salaries are not

part of the profit, they are a cost. You may believe that these people are

overpaid, that is your judgement, but it is still not profit. You are correct

the insurance companies do not produce a product, they do provide a service. We

also do not produce a product, but provide a service. I dislike the concept of

any insurance, including house, auto and especially life insurance, but the

concept is protect your assets against unexpected cost. The health companies

seemed to have overstepped this when their coverage is termed or capped.

One of the health economists who lectured for the class I held at the medical

school was found of pointing out that the majority of the administrative costs

were spent as salaries of the 300,000 or so individuals who process claims,

answer the phone, and do the paper work of the insurance companies. What would

you have them do? Closing them would result in the largest blow to the economy

of any business breakdown. This would make the auto industry collapse look like

a drop in the bucket.

________________________________________

From:

[ ]

On Behalf Of Malia [tmalia@...]

Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 7:14 PM

To:

Subject: Re: WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

Jim, the " 20% " is the portion of the money paid to insurers that does

not got to health care services. I never suggested it was their profits. But of

that 20%, about 3/4 (15% of total) is administrative/marketing (including nice

salaries for some high level executives as others have pointed out), and the

other 1/4 (5% of total) is the " profit. " I was saying that in a way

that " 5% profit " actually represents 25% of the money that is not

used for health care services which is the actual product the patients were

paying for.

And, that actual profit is 25% greater than the total salaries of all primary

care physicians in the USA even though the private insurers only cover about

half the costs of care in America.

And I still contend that is crazy.

Tim

Malia, MD

(phone / fax)

www.MaliaFamilyMedicine.com

www.SkinSenseLaser.com

Malia Family Medicine & Skin Sense Laser

6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd.

Perinton Square Mall

Fairport, NY 14450

-- Confidentiality Notice --

This email message, including all the attachments, is for the sole use of the

intended recipient(s) and contains confidential information. Unauthorized use

or disclosure is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not

use, disclose, copy or disseminate this information. If you are not the

intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately by reply email and

destroy all copies of the original message, including attachments.

WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

I love the deliciousness of what the insurance companies are saying.

Basically, what docs have said the last decade -- if Medicare doesn't raise

it's rates a little each year, it's like a paycut and we eventually lose money.

Suspect this is a glimpse of FutureWorld -- where the gov't will start setting

rates, margins for insurances will be less, and therefore, what they pay docs

will continue to tighten down.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704726104575291121755620054.html

Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

On Monday, insurers that sell Medicare Advantage plans must submit their 2011

bids to the government. In a letter to four insurance-industry executives,

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned the companies not

to increase premiums and co-payments for seniors.

" Focus on price and quality rather than asking seniors who need health

care the most to pay more for it, " Ms. Sebelius wrote in a letter

snip/snip

Many insurance companies are planning to increase costs for a range of services

for seniors next year, according to consultants who have helped prepare their

bids. Dozens of Medicare Advantage providers plan to cut back vision, dental

and prescription benefits. Some plans are eliminating free teeth cleanings and

gym memberships, and raising fees for hearing aides, eye glasses and

emergency-room visits.

Consultants cite two reasons for the cuts. The rate the government will pay

private insurers to run the plans is frozen for 2011 at 2010 levels, while

medical costs are expected to increase an average of at least 6%. Such price

increases and benefit cuts will help them recoup that difference, the

consultants say.

snip/snip

The Obama administration and Senate Democrats say that passing those costs on

as early as next year is unfair. In her letter, Ms. Sebelius warned insurers

that she will deny insurers bids if they include excessive price increases,

using new powers under the health law.

snip/snip

The insurance industry, which estimates the payment cuts from the health

overhaul will total approximately $200 billion over a decade, says it can't

absorb those cuts on its own, and must pass them onto customers starting next

year.

" Washington can't slash $200 billion out of Medicare Advantage and then

try to shift the blame to the health plans that administer the program when

those cuts inevitably result in higher premiums and benefit reductions for

seniors, " said Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America's Health

Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group.

Gorman, chief executive of Gorman Health Group, a Washington-based

consulting company that works with about 200 Medicare Advantage providers,

said, " The expectation is that the operating costs of these plans are

going to go up pretty substantially. ...We look at the bids in 2011 as really

kind of a bridge to this reimagined " Medicare advantage program.

=====================

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Jim!! You are still out there! Great to see a post from you!

Hope life is treating you well!

Eads, MD

Pinnacle

Family Medicine

Colorado

Springs, Colorado

www.PinnacleFamilyMedicine.com

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Sturgis

Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 10:07 AM

To:

Subject: Re: WSJ - 300,000 operators will be

right with you.

"

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no operators, no

claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

"

Pretty much sums it up. AAFP is all about institutions and teams and

being part of the so called " Health Care System " . Just

like the little child who desperately wants to play with the big kids

and will do ANYTHING to be like them and

be accepted. But we can only join the " Health Care System " on their

terms. I think AAFP ought to dump their affiliation with

the AMA and only associate with other Primary Care Speciaties (FORM the

group if necessary); Then they could advocate

for the people who actually deliver so much medical care, rather than

begging for crumbs.

Jim

[Guest guest]

I would second Jean's comment, but Brady did it for me. So here's a third.

That post is a keeper!

Tim

Malia, MD

(phone / fax)

www.MaliaFamilyMedicine.com

www.SkinSenseLaser.com

Malia Family Medicine & Skin Sense Laser

6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd.

Perinton Square Mall

Fairport, NY 14450

-- Confidentiality Notice --

This email message, including all the attachments, is for the sole use of the

intended recipient(s) and contains confidential information. Unauthorized use or

disclosure is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not

use, disclose, copy or disseminate this information. If you are not the intended

recipient, please contact the sender immediately by reply email and destroy all

copies of the original message, including attachments.

WSJ - Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

I love the deliciousness of what the insurance companies are saying.

Basically, what docs have said the last decade -- if Medicare doesn't raise it's

rates a little each year, it's like a paycut and we eventually lose money.

Suspect this is a glimpse of FutureWorld -- where the gov't will start setting

rates, margins for insurances will be less, and therefore, what they pay docs

will continue to tighten down.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704726104575291121755620054.html

Medicare Insurers Warned On Rates

On Monday, insurers that sell Medicare Advantage plans must submit their 2011

bids to the government. In a letter to four insurance-industry executives,

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned the companies not

to increase premiums and co-payments for seniors.

" Focus on price and quality rather than asking seniors who need health care the

most to pay more for it, " Ms. Sebelius wrote in a letter

snip/snip

Many insurance companies are planning to increase costs for a range of services

for seniors next year, according to consultants who have helped prepare their

bids. Dozens of Medicare Advantage providers plan to cut back vision, dental and

prescription benefits. Some plans are eliminating free teeth cleanings and gym

memberships, and raising fees for hearing aides, eye glasses and emergency-room

visits.

Consultants cite two reasons for the cuts. The rate the government will pay

private insurers to run the plans is frozen for 2011 at 2010 levels, while

medical costs are expected to increase an average of at least 6%. Such price

increases and benefit cuts will help them recoup that difference, the

consultants say.

snip/snip

The Obama administration and Senate Democrats say that passing those costs on as

early as next year is unfair. In her letter, Ms. Sebelius warned insurers that

she will deny insurers bids if they include excessive price increases, using new

powers under the health law.

snip/snip

The insurance industry, which estimates the payment cuts from the health

overhaul will total approximately $200 billion over a decade, says it can't

absorb those cuts on its own, and must pass them onto customers starting next

year.

" Washington can't slash $200 billion out of Medicare Advantage and then try to

shift the blame to the health plans that administer the program when those cuts

inevitably result in higher premiums and benefit reductions for seniors, " said

Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, the

industry's trade group.

Gorman, chief executive of Gorman Health Group, a Washington-based

consulting company that works with about 200 Medicare Advantage providers, said,

" The expectation is that the operating costs of these plans are going to go up

pretty substantially. ...We look at the bids in 2011 as really kind of a bridge

to this reimagined " Medicare advantage program.

=====================

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

yes is that the same Jim who was on practiceimprovement  1 when it very very began? wow. I read all of youse guys' posts about three times.

 

Jim!! You are still out there!  Great to see a post from you!

Hope life is treating you well!

 

Eads, MD

Pinnacle

Family Medicine

Colorado

Springs, Colorado

www.PinnacleFamilyMedicine.com

 

 

 

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Sturgis

Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 10:07 AM

To:

Subject: Re: WSJ - 300,000 operators will be

right with you.

 

 

"

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no operators, no

claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

"

Pretty much sums it up. AAFP is all about institutions and teams and

being part of the so called " Health Care System " . Just

like the little child who desperately wants to play with the big kids

and will do ANYTHING to be like them and

be accepted. But we can only join the " Health Care System " on their

terms. I think AAFP ought to dump their affiliation with

the AMA and only associate with other Primary Care Speciaties (FORM the

group if necessary); Then they could advocate

for the people who actually deliver so much medical care, rather than

begging for crumbs.

Jim

-- PATIENTS-please remember  that email may not be entirely secure, and that Email is part of the medical  record and is placed into your  chart ( be careful what you say!)

Email is best used for appointment making and  brief  questionsEmail replies can be expected within 24 hours-Please CALL  if the  matter is more urgent .     MD    

    ph   fax impcenter.org

[Guest guest]

Still here. Always been here. I had to do whatever was necessary to

recover from my first IMP attempt.

I think I was just in a toxic zone. I'm in a small town now and

although hospital supported (remote site)

I'm trying to squeeze as much IMP value and approach into the practice.

Jim!! You are still

out there! Great to see a post from you!

Hope life is treating you well!

Eads,

MD

Pinnacle

Family

Medicine

Colorado

Springs,

Colorado

www.PinnacleFamilyMedicine.com

From:

[mailto: ] On

Behalf Of Sturgis

Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 10:07 AM

To:

Subject: Re: WSJ - 300,000

operators will be

right with you.

"

If king for a day, there would be no phone trees, no operators, no

claims adjuster, just access, quality, and compassion.

"

Pretty much sums it up. AAFP is all about institutions and teams and

being part of the so called "Health Care System". Just

like the little child who desperately wants to play with the big kids

and will do ANYTHING to be like them and

be accepted. But we can only join the "Health Care System" on their

terms. I think AAFP ought to dump their affiliation with

the AMA and only associate with other Primary Care Speciaties (FORM the

group if necessary); Then they could advocate

for the people who actually deliver so much medical care, rather than

begging for crumbs.

Jim