A doctor who won't take any insurance or Medicare? Yank their license, plus imprisonment.

[matt819]

89. You're way off base

If an individual doctor in private practice chooses not to take or process insurance, or doesn't accept Medicare patients, that's a valid business decision. You may not like it, but it's a valid business decision. I hate it that my local bookstore carries books by wingnuts, but it's their right to do so.

By not agreeing to process insurance claims, he keeps his costs down. Again, a reasonable business decision. He's not stopping patients from filing claims with their insurance companies. He's just not doing it for them.

As for Medicare/Medicaid, refusing those patients is his right. Reimbursements aren't high enough to compensate him for his time and resources to provide medical services. It gives him much greater control of his business.

All of these choices also allow him to make decision to provide treatment at rates he feels is fair and reasonable. If people are able and willing to pay for those services, then all is well. If he chooses to reduce rates for selected patients, for whatever reason, he can do so because he is making his full rate from his other patients. In his community that may be a perfectly fine model.

This apparently bothers you, but business owners have the right to not do business with people, as long as they do not violate the law or civil rights in doing so.

Yes, there is a need for more primary care physicians in underserved areas throughout the United States. This is all the more obvious when you see photos of these free health care clinics. But it's not the fault of individual doctors who make valid and legal business decisions to cater to other markets. And it's not the responsibility of private practice doctors to solve the health care crisis.

Does this indicate that the system needs work? Absolutely. But when a medical education costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, don't expect new doctors to hang out shingles and work for free or for barter.