Are you ready? Ready for Obamacare? As far as I know, it starts in January 2014. I think part of it has been postponed.Forty five million people had no health insurance in 2012. Those people are apparently going to have to get insurance or pay a fine. Think about this, 45 million more people entering the health care system and having the access everybody else has had all along. They don't have to worry about payment any more. So naturally, like everyone else, they aren't going to hesitate to use it.
Here's the thing, they won't be able to get an appointment. The people who have health insurance now can't get an appointment, so how to we expect all of these people will somehow get appointments. When they can't get an appointment, where do you think they are going to head? Why, right down to their local ER of course.
I foresee a disaster as an already burdened system tries to absorb these people. It can't happen, so then what? People are going to be pissed that they have to pay for insurance and not be able to get an appointment. If seems no one in the government has addressed these problems. I am sure they are aware of it. Its typical that we do drastic things and let the chips fall where they may.
Retirement looks better and better.
All the practice groups are hiring on legions of NPs and PAs. It seems like every nurse I know is going to FNP programs. So all these newly insured people will get to see these newly minted practitioners.
ReplyDeleteAre practices really hiring legions? I haven't seen evidence of that so far. I agree with the author- things are going to get really difficult- both for the insurance holders and the healthcare community.
ReplyDeleteIn both natural and human systems you can find examples where there is a sudden disturbance, a rapid response, and then it slowly settles back to a stable situation. I think this will also be the case with the new insurance.
ReplyDeleteSure, a lot of people who suddenly get insurance are going to flood the system. I don't think most of that will hit the ER though. Sure you will still have system abusers, probably a few more even. You should also have people who are currently abusing the ER finding their way into family practices as well. Even if it takes a month to get an appointment. I know people, including myself, who would rather wait a month for a non-urgent appointment than be forced to wait a year until a non-urgent problem becomes urgent.
I think a few more private practices will open, I also think more 'urgent care' places will open (2 just popped up in my area recently). The overflow will settle down, appointments will be available, and the obamacare scare will turn out to be just as bad as Y2K was.
There are a couple of programs already trying to deal with rising emergency room abuse. Most notably Oregon is setting up some coordinated care organizations.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to greatly improve access to primary care. In our area of Seattle, Qliance saves a lot of people from going to the ER by (big surprise) being open at more convenient times. Most people don't go to the ER if they can just call their doctor instead.
These people are already coming to the ER for treatment, as the ER cannot turn them away. Then the rest of us who are already insured have to make up the payments that these folks can't afford.
ReplyDeleteAt least now they will have insurance that will make up the payments, and those of us who are paying now just might have lower costs in the future.