[afazio.uk_887]

But here is the thing, if the government steps in, they wont be giving private practice back to doctors. Rather they will just take over most of medicine and maybe leave a couple deep pocketed insurance companies around like United Healthcare

[tdetlie_105]

Quote from Waduh Dong

But here is the thing, if the government steps in, they wont be giving private practice back to doctors. Rather they will just take over most of medicine and maybe leave a couple deep pocketed insurance companies around like United Healthcare

 
Sounds about right.

[Unknown Member]

There are two cruel behemoths ruining medicine, insurance companies and PE. 
The political influence of both cant be overstated. 
 
I think the first thing needed is national health insurance. 
Could we introduce national health insurance even if we wanted to given the politics?
What is going on now is not sustainable. 

[satyanar]

Just say no. One cannot overstate how important it is. Takes a lot of courage at times.

[smfst7_929]

Big government for sure isnt the answer. Americans wouldnt even want it. Because ultimately you would have to ration care and limit the ability to use new drugs or medical devices. Youd have to wait months or even 1-2 years for elective surgeries- knee replacements etc. Cut radiologist salaries in half by implementing single payer reduced reimbursement care and watch the boomers instantly retire. Private insurers would follow suit and lower reimbursement to half of their current levels as well. It would be utter chaos. Sure the young rads would have to still work for less because they havent made their nest egg yet. But you would go from what is currently a big physician shortage to a critical dire shortage that would lead to measurable patient morbidity and mortality that would be national news in short order. Guarantee any boomer hangers on would retire. Those in their 50s would at a minimum cutback their hours. Covid would look like a joke compared to the consequences of moving to single payer. A lot of changes would have to be made for this to even come close to working. The changes that would have to be made could fill a 300 page book.

[Robbro524_990]

True. Our salaries might get cut in half, but I would make sure that my productivity was 1/4 or less of what it used to be. Then, supply and demand factors would come roaring back into play, and the US would split into a truly two-tiered health care system.

I mean, the government can’t MAKE us work for them, right?

They (the government) would do their best to make us work for free…I mean for them. They’d probably try to control licensure even more, or tie licensure to reimbursement. Good times.

[Unknown Member]

The VA is government socialized medicine. Seems some rads like it. 
 
National health insurance with PP is workable.
 
The government bumbles along, can be managed. PE will cut your heart out, working radiologists dont stand a chance. 
 
Whatever we have now is not working on many levels.
 
PE should not be allowed in medicine. We license physicians, make them take all sorts of Cme addressing societal ills, and we allow bottom line businesses to come in without any concern for patient care and exploit it. 
 
Medicine is not a free market enterprise. The rules, conditions and expectations are unique. As such, it is easily exploited; as we watch all around us. 

[mario.mtz30_447]

[link=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/upshot/private-equity-doctors-offices.html]https://www.nytimes.com/2…y-doctors-offices.html[/link]
 

[Robbro524_990]

Agree with all of the above on PE, but, as you all well know, our own colleagues sold the profession out collectively just to make a quick buck (which they would have made ANYWAY in the next several years by simply working).

Just let that lack of collective foresight or care by our own sink in for a minute.

‘We have met the enemy, and he is us,’ etc.