I've just seen an article from the American Academy of Family Physicians that more and more solo and small practices are closing.
Call your Congressperson, because the thing that is most likely to close my small clinic and clinics near you is the latest healthcare bill passing.
That is, to be even more specific, the thing that will most likely close MY one doctor clinic is THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE.
Really? Oh, yes.
I was sick for ten months, June of 2014 until April of 2015. I managed to hire a physician's assistant by November of 2014 and I returned to work April of 2015. I was only allowed to work half time initially, for a year. Actually, quarter time. Because the latest article on primary care has average salaries. What interests me is that every doctor they interviewed who is earning the "average" is working 60-70 hours a week.
So when I returned to work I was allowed to work half days. That is, four hours a day. So, 20 hours a week. One third to one quarter time.
Also I was paying for my own insurance and I had a $5000.00 deductible. Which I had to pay in both 2014 and 2015. I also had to spend retirement money and savings to keep the clinic open. Negative earnings and using up savings in 2014 and 2015 and 2016. I worked 20 hours a week for a year. And guess what? My income for 2015 qualified me for Obamacare in 2016.
No deductible. By April of 2016 I am released to "full time". But I have learned my lesson. My sister died in 2012 and my father in 2013 and these deaths were the trigger for me getting sick. I can't retire yet. I have burned through savings for three years. I choose to work 40 hours a week.
This means that I stop seeing patients by 2:00 pm. I still do an eight hour day because there is at least three hours of phone calls, insurance prior authorizations, lab results, x-ray results, specialist letters -- like yesterday. The specialist says the patient should have an MRI. But the patient is a veteran. So the specialist says I should order it. That means filling out the paperwork for the VA authorization, mailing the order to the patient, calling the patient to remind them that triwest will throw my order away unless the patient calls to get the test authorized within ten days. Yep. And the specialist gets paid 3-4 times what I make. How nice.
I also choose longer visits. The local hospital kicked me out of their clinics because I protested about a daily patient quota. I was not diplomatic. And I don't care, because two years later they decided I was right and lowered it. And I like my private clinic better.
BUT if Congress passes this healthcare bill and I return to over $1000.00 per month health insurance for me and a 19 year old daughter, and with a $5000.00 deductible.... I don't know. I think I will run a Go Fund Me and ask President Trump and my Congresspeople to donate to pay my health insurance and keep me open.
And by the way: I think Congress should have the same health care as their constituents. Give the ones over 65 medicare and the ones under 65 medicaid. Let them experience what older Americans and disabled and poor experience. And don't let them bypass it with cash, either.
Call Congress. Stop the bill. Thank you.