Are Doctors The Cause Of The Uninsured?

For a number of people the high cost of Health Insurance is just too high. I went online and did a search for a family of 4. Here is a breakdown of some major insurance companies:

Network Coverage: Per Month Charge 403.00, Deductible 5000.00, Office Visit 35.00, Co-insurance 20%

PPO Coverage: Per month Charge 480.00, Deductible 5000.00 Office Visit 0% After Deductible and 0% Co-Insurance After Deductible

There are other plans that are less expensive, but for the most part this is what it costs to the consumer.

Discount cards work similar to Insurance cards. You pay your bill minus the discounted amount. The remainder is paid to the doctor after he files the claim.

These are all well and done, but one has to be meticullous as to what plans they can get and what plans are offered with their company plans.

Have you ever been told what surgery is right for you and what amount of Hospital stay they will pay for? There are HMO's PPO's and some other insurnace companies that will over ride your doctor's orders,. I have had complaints from numerous doctors about this. It is rediculous in the fact that the consumers are getting ripped off by the companies who are there to save them money for those unexpected visits and hospital stays.

You would thimnk that they would also pay for preventative care so that they wouldn't have to pay YOUR hard earned money. It is in my opinion that the Health Insurance Company's are a scam and a rip off.

The Doctor's should be the one's who are in charge of your health and not the insurance companies.

From Wikipedia.com:

A health maintenance organization (HMO) is a type of managed care organization (MCO) that provides a form of health care coverage in the United States that is fulfilled through hospitals, doctors, and other providers with which the HMO has a contract. The Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 required employers with 25 or more employees to offer federally certified HMO options. Unlike traditional indemnity insurance, an HMO covers only care rendered by those doctors and other professionals who have agreed to treat patients in accordance with the HMO's guidelines and restrictions in exchange for a steady stream of customers.

From Wikipedia:

In health insurance, a preferred provider organization (or "PPO", sometimes referred to as a participating provider organization) is a managed care organization of medical doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers who have covenanted with an insurer or a third-party administrator to provide health care at reduced rates to the insurer's or administrator's clients.

The idea of a preferred provider organization is that the providers will provide the insured members of the group a substantial discount below their regularly-charged rates. This will be mutually beneficial in theory, as the insurer will be billed at a reduced rate when its insured utilize the services of the "preferred" provider and the provider will see an increase in its business as almost all insureds in the organization will use only providers who are members. Even the insured should benefit, as lower costs to the insurer should result in lower rates of increase in premiums. Preferred provider organizations themselves earn money by charging an access fee to the insurance company for the use of their network. They negotiate with providers to set fee schedules, and handle disputes between insurers and providers. PPOs can also contract with one another to strengthen their position in certain geographic areas without forming new relationships directly with providers.

We have had to change Doctor's several times because they don't accept all Insurance plans or companies. We have had those Discounted Plans too and many doctor's, at least in my area, refuse them. Sure the discounted card companies tell you to add them to the network, only some doctors refuse that as well. So how are the uninsured supposed to be insured?

As I see it and as we have experienced with doctors, hospitals and insurance companies the root cause for lack of health care are the Doctor's themselves. This leaves those who really need the care without insurance which contributes to the numbers of those who are uninsured.

Doctor's should take all health insurance cards and plans and the Insurance companies should let the doctor's decide on the best health for the patient.

Adding the above information about HMO's and PPO's it is clearer to me that the Health Insurance Industry is nothing but a money-making scam that feeds on people's pocket books.  I also understnad now shy doctor's don't want to take those discount cards.