I got a good glimpse of the future today as a big package arrived from one of the managed care companies I try to avoid dealing with. They informed me that they have taken over two of the state's biggest contracts -- the ones that are sure to get bigger as more people turn to The Commonwealth Connector to get the insurance they are mandated to have. There was a nice letter congratulating me for being invited in to the select group of providers. I can now accept patients from two of the state sponsored plans that previously only could go to semi-private under-funded full-service clinics staffed by pre-licensed social workers and non-English speaking psychiatrists. Now, it is my privilege to see these multi-problem families at a low rate of pay, with a high co-payment, thus insuring that many will drop out of treatment when they realize what it will really cost them.
Since I have already adopted the attitude that going to my office almost qualifies on my tax forms as a hobby, I will probably sign the contract, and in that way I will be able to see all of my old patients who had gotten laid-off and lost their good insurance.
The truth is I really would not mind working this way, as long as I could be sure that the people who run this managed care company were getting the same hourly rate that that I am. Probably not the case.
2 comments:
I would have chuckled at this if it weren't so true and sad. Happy New Year.
I did chuckle at it- I love the thought of them having equal pay- seems entirely fair to me
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