We hear it every day, “the rich don’t pay their fair share”, “there is a deeper divide than ever between the rich and the poor”, “the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer”.Blah, blah, blah, it reminds me of an old record that keeps skipping and repeating itself over and over.It is just another political point that this administration uses to divide the people of this nation. Lots of talk, no solutions.
They talk about the privileged 1% and how evil they are. They bloviate on how unfair it is that the rich take advantage of the poor and don’t spread their wealth around, but they fail to mention the truth, that the top 10% of income earners in this country paid 71% of all federal income taxes in 2010 even though they earned only 45% of all income, while the bottom 50% paid 2% of income taxes while earning 12% of income. There it is in black and white; but never mind the truth, perpetuating a lie is a much better way to get re-elected.
So they ram this mantra down our throats about income inequality, but what about the real inequality that is headed our way like a runaway train? I’m talking about the inequality in good and available healthcare thanks to Obamacare. As this nightmare continues to unfold the realities are beginning to surface.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there will be an estimated shortage of 91,500 doctors by the year 2020. This shortage of physicians caused by the implementation of Obamacare in the next five years will bring the rise in Concierge Medicine. With all of the newly insured patients whether privately insured or through Medicaid, it will become very difficult for patients to see their doctors when they are ill; almost impossible for them to see them for routine care and will make getting a checkup feel like you are being treated in a “patient mill”.
Enter medical inequality.Perhaps in less than 5 years from now if you want to have a personal physician see you for all of your healthcare needs, you will need to pay for that privilege.The wealthy, upper middle class and of course all government bigshots need not worry since they can afford whatever it costs to make sure that they and their families are well provided for.
With Concierge Medicine you pay a monthly or annual premium directly to your doctor where they become your own personal physician.They will take responsibility for all of your healthcare needs.This will guarantee that you and your family will have access when needed. Doctors will be paid directly by the patients with no middle men and less paperwork thus providing savings to the patient.
With the shortage of doctors on the horizon, adjustments will have to be made within the Obamacare framework. Doctors will be facing high financial overhead and receiving less payment for their services so the obvious choice for them will be to maximize their patient volume.All of the front line providers, mostly Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants will see 20-30 patients a day, most with a 15 minute or less time slot.It will become more like a “patient mill” where patients are shuttled through and have limited or no follow up.The medical staff will do everything in their power to maximize the care, but it will become more and more difficult as numbers of patients rise.
As the shortage of doctors worsens more and more people who can afford it will be willing to pay to see their doctors just as they do today. With concierge service a doctor will only see up to 15 patients a day, give direct patient care and continue to have a personal relationship with their patients. Because there will be dramatically lower overhead, they can make the same amount of income as the doctors who push through 30 or more patients a day.
As a patient who cannot afford a concierge plan, you will only see your doctor on rare occasion and only if you are very ill.Your primary relationship will be with the NP or PA and not “your doctor”.As with the situation in the UK and Canada, after a while this will become accepted as the “normal practice of healthcare” in America.Decisions will be made for you on costly procedures and you will have very little to say about it.
Unfortunately, this medical inequality was never mentioned by the Obama administration or the Democrats who voted for it.They have created their own version of “class warfare” over healthcare.Once again the people who Obama claims to be looking out for are getting the shaft.
With rising prices, higher taxes, and inflation hitting everyone’s pocket, more and more people will be falling into the “poor” category in this country.The middle class is barely holding on right now and most of them have the burden of supporting not only themselves, but the bottom 48 or 49% as well.
The only answer to the “inequality” problem is capitalism and a strong economy.Getting people back to work and relieving the regulatory burdens on small business would be a good start.
My question is: Once the poor realize that only the “haves” can afford good healthcare, will they blame Obama?
Morgan Brittany
Politichicks.tv
@Morganbrittany4
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