The Glade 4.0

Clearly, we need a better free-market payment system that allows the doctors to charge a premium and book fewer patients (so as not to run over because they were trying to squeeze another patient into their day) to make up that $10k.

But then, you already beat me to the punch with the concierge comment.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

If we had a decent one in our market area I'd find the money. And I'm a healthy young man, imagine what the boomers would do.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

Michael Jackson had a concierge doctor, at his beck and call almost exclusively.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

I think another contributing factor that no one is discussing is the cancellation fee most offices charge. If you schedule an appointment for tomorrow and start to feel better but not 100% you might be inclined to cancel and free up some appointment space if you weren't responsible for a penalty. In for a penny, in for a pound so to speak. If I have to pay $25 anyways and I am not 100% I might as well go.

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That's a personal doctor, not a concierge doctor.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

My insurance allows a 30 minute appointment for med-check type stuff.

I have 6 different prescriptions to go over. I get a lab done and make an appointment. There is no way we can go over all of the stuff we need to talk about in 30 minutes.

I always make my appointment the last one of the day, knowing Im going to get in late, and probably leave even later.

Mr Dr., for all of his failings, is always willing to stay with me as long as necessary to make sure we get things right. I've spent an hour and a half in the office with him on a 30 minute appointment. He is only getting paid by the insurance company for 30 minutes of that time.

It's the system that sucks DS, (mostly likely) not your Doctor.

On the flipside of the same coin...

I called intoday, my tonsils have been really swollen for a few days. I talked to them for 5 minutes, the doc said that he felt the tonsils swollen yesterday, he already has a prescription ready to call in; but he did not want to give it if I was not complaining about it (today they actually hurt). Otherwise I would need to wait until March to see the doctor.

30 nminutes later the pharmacy called and said my prescription was ready, the doctor called it in personally.

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut