Opinion

Four articles paint a sorry picture of what physicians are confronting

LETTER — Posted June 27, 2005

Print  |   Email  |   Respond  |   Reprints  |   Like Facebook  |   Share Twitter  |   Tweet Linkedin

The April 25 edition of American Medical News contained four articles that attest to the precarious state of the American physician.

The front page article, "AMA warns Medicare payment cuts would harm patient care and access" (Article, April 25), describes the impending cuts in Medicare reimbursement for physicians. In essence, we are dependent on the whims of the federal government and this is quite an uneasy position in which we find ourselves. I can only hope that organized medicine will successfully lobby to enforce changes to the sustainable growth rate formula.

Two other articles, "Cultural competency now law in New Jersey" (Article, April 25) and "Michigan physicians fighting 1% Medicaid tax plan" (Article, April 25), focus on what is happening in New Jersey and Michigan.

Another unfounded mandate is cast upon those who are practicing in the Garden State. In order to maintain their licenses, they now must be educated in cultural competency. Even more disturbing is Michigan's attempt at taxing physicians' gross revenues to help fund Medicaid's shortfall.

The fourth article, "Physician suicide: Searching for answers" (Article, April 25), deals with a well-established and disturbing problem of physician suicide.

I can only ask when will we all say we have had enough. I can only hope the news gets better.

Marc A. Melser, MD, Port Charlotte, Fla.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/06/27/edlt0627.htm.

Back to top


ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISE HERE


Featured
Read story

Confronting bias against obese patients

Medical educators are starting to raise awareness about how weight-related stigma can impair patient-physician communication and the treatment of obesity. Read story


Read story

Goodbye

American Medical News is ceasing publication after 55 years of serving physicians by keeping them informed of their rapidly changing profession. Read story


Read story

Policing medical practice employees after work

Doctors can try to regulate staff actions outside the office, but they must watch what they try to stamp out and how they do it. Read story


Read story

Diabetes prevention: Set on a course for lifestyle change

The YMCA's evidence-based program is helping prediabetic patients eat right, get active and lose weight. Read story


Read story

Medicaid's muddled preventive care picture

The health system reform law promises no-cost coverage of a lengthy list of screenings and other prevention services, but some beneficiaries still might miss out. Read story


Read story

How to get tax breaks for your medical practice

Federal, state and local governments offer doctors incentives because practices are recognized as economic engines. But physicians must know how and where to find them. Read story


Read story

Advance pay ACOs: A down payment on Medicare's future

Accountable care organizations that pay doctors up-front bring practice improvements, but it's unclear yet if program actuaries will see a return on investment. Read story


Read story

Physician liability: Your team, your legal risk

When health care team members drop the ball, it's often doctors who end up in court. How can physicians improve such care and avoid risks? Read story

  • Stay informed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • LinkedIn