Bob McCarty Writes

EDITOR’S UPDATE 11/21/09: Click here to see the SERMO.com blog page containing survey results mentioned by Dr. Dan Windsor at the Million Med March today in Clayton, Mo. More details about the rally will be published here during the remainder of the weekend.  Jackson Healthcare survey article continues below.

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Ninety-two percent of the almost 2,000 physicians who responded to a Jackson Healthcare survey of physicians agree with Dr. Chad Hewitt. The number one way to reduce health care costs may be tort reform.

Dr. Chad Hewitt

While Dr. Hewitt, a podiatrist friend of mine in the Kansas City area who’s been in private practice for three years after five years of residency, wrote to share details of the survey conducted in October on topics related to health care reform, he also shared some strong personal feelings on health care reform.

“If I wasn’t trying to CYA (cover my back side) with various tests, exams, etc., it may reduce the insurance company costs and, as a result, yield lower premiums,” he said.  “I don’t get anything (monetary) from ordering bone scans, MRI, CT, blood work, vascular studies or nerve-conduction tests.  I do those to make sure that I am not ‘missing’ anything that could come back to haunt me.”

As for the future, Hewitt said his patients, including one with whom he had a discussion about bunion surgery — which she didn’t really need yet — after she expressed fear that changes in Medicare might prevent her from having the surgery in the future.

“She was visibly scared,” he said.  “She was honestly afraid that she couldn’t have the surgery if legislation passed.

“I told her I was watching the same thing she was and reassured her that it wouldn’t be coming into effect for another three to four years even if it passes,” he continued, concluding his recollection of that doctor-patient exchange by asking a rhetorical set of questions.

“Is this now a new shift in patients?  Will patients be coming for elective surgery to get what they can before rationing occurs?”

Sadly, the answer to both of Hewitt’s questions appears to be “Yes” and prompts even more questions from the doctor.

“Why are physicians the ones who are being demonized here for being too greedy?”

“Why is it that no one makes a fuss about a potential 21 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursements next year?  Do you know of any job where you get paid less than the previous year and are expected to perform better and provide more superior services?

“And why does a person who does not argue with the plumber or mechanic about a bill of $200 or more feel justified in chewing out me or my staff about how my fees and charges are ‘too high’ and saying he won’t pay them ‘because health care is a human right’?”

“Maybe the government should take over Kohl’s as well,” he concluded, “because I have a right to a new shirt, since President Obama is taking the one I had off MY back.”

OTHER FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY

While the majority of physicians interviewed agreed that health care reform is needed, 90 percent reported they feel misrepresented by the American Medical Association in the national debate.  For example:

• 62 percent disagree either “strongly” or “somewhat” with the AMA’s stand on health care reform (i.e., supporting the president’s plan)

When asked which piece of legislation currently being considered in the House and the Senate they most prefer:

• 44 percent chose H.R. 3400 (Republican-sponsored plan);
• 19 percent chose none of these plans;
• 15 percent chose H.R. 3200 (Democrat-sponsored plan);
  
• 7 percent chose the Senate Finance Committee bill;
• 2 percent wrote n single-payor system;
• 2 percent wrote in medical malpractice reform/tort reform was all that was necessary;
• 2 percent stated that health care reform was not necessary; and
• 5 percent did not know.
  

According to an Associated Press poll, the results of which were released yesterday, 54 percent of Americans favor making it harder to sue doctors and hospitals for mistakes in patient care.

Editor’s Note: If you’re a physician, medical professional or patient who agrees with the majority of physicians who responded to the survey, I encourage you to participate in the Million Med March rallies taking place at locations nationwide Saturday.