Many doctors plan to quit

I don't know much about it, and figure, no sense in learning about it - they all will do what they choose is best for them. Obama will do what he wants regardless of anything else. But at the same time, I get the statement from my insurance company that shows how much the doctor bills the insurance company. I am sorry but for the literal few mintues I am in that doctors office (after waiting at least one hour after my own appointment time) there is no way what he did was worth what he charged! I mean $250 for 10 minutes and a prescription? I go to an allergy doctor twice a week for shots. I am in ther literally no more than 60 seconds - yes seconds. I get a shot in each arm and walk out. He bills $90 for the shots but $180 (just went up to $190) for "office visit" and I didn't even see him! His nurses do the shots! So $190 for literally 60 seconds? Sorry I just don't see that that is proper. My insurance pays it all or I wouldn't be doing it. I have suffered for years with my allergy problems, this might help for a while, but if I ever loose the insurance I can't continue. But $190 a minute? I had a brain tumor removed at a major hospital....the bill was staggering. And I couldn't even get a nurse when I needed on - got a "technician" usually but all she could do was change the bed pan and would say "I'll tell a nurse". And I never saw a nurse! And that huge charge for the hosptial stay - not including the doctors and what they did - just to lay in the hospital. Totally out rageous. I had different insurance then (through my husbands union) and when I complained that they didn't pay much, they literally told me in exact words - "that hospital is not signatory with us (in their network) and we won't allow them to be as they price gouge patients and we are not going to promote that to our members". Then I had to go get an MRI follow up after surgery and they charged $10,000 for it! I found out later (thanks to my insurance company for not mentioning htis in the first place) but they have a contract with an outside company and they sent me there and the charge for the exact same MRI was $1800! The insurance I have now, I recently had a follow up MRI - same as in the past years, and they only charged $1800! So pardon me - but something stinks to high heaven that the hospital charges $10,000 for the same test that is 1/10 of that at multiple places! So my experience doesn't tell me that doctors aren't making much money. I know they have bills and insurance and student loans etc to pay, but they knew that going in. If they would lower their "prices" theres a good chance They would have more patients which would mean more income - like this allergy doctor - if I loose my insurance, I can't go - therefore he looses income cause I can't afford $270 for a minutes treatment. So I see both sides, but being the one in the middle - kind of hard to feel bad for them. Granted some doctors are not like this - all the doctors that did my surgery were signatory and after my insuarnce paid their part, I still couldn't pay the rest and I wrote letters telling them my unemployement issues and if they would consider waiving the balance and they did - they were all under $1,000 so it wasn't much to them, but it sure was alot to me.

Well, if doctors see fewer patients and then we have need to train and hire more doctors, it would work out. I guess I would have to read the report a bit more closely. My boss, a doctor, tends to take on as much as he can handle and more. I don't think he will ever decide to cut back.

Hello ersmommy. It is true indeed that it is the same in China there are not enough doctors in the rural areas. Most of the doctors work in town and cities. If the doctors plan to quit, it is terrible to think of that.

doctors are really helpfull to us and all of us depend on doctors when we are ill and they are the one who are going to help us and get us relief from the pain we have and if they give up then who is going to help the patience and it will be the effect which is going to effect us all very badly and i think instead of quiting the field and having a burden it is better there should be more number of people doing medicine and make their career and also serve people by their good abilities.

quite serious matter....patients increase every moments...but doctors ? decreasing....

I hope they wont quit. There are very few good doctors nowadays. Especially in the rural areas as what you said. They earn good really but the fact they work long hours, and they have to spend a lot that makes a person think again to pursue that career.

Wow! I know doctors are overworked underpaid and all but I would never thought they would give it up. Some doctors in my state have already cut back on patients one office says it is not seeing no new patience they are sorry for the inconvenience, but I guess a doctor knows his limit and as much as they want to save people they have to help takecare of themselves or who will there be to take care of us then? Three worst Jobs..1.)Doctor 2.)Police 3.)Lawyer It takes strong willed people to do these jobs and do them right and long hours.

heh, I thought the shortage of doctors was only inhehrent in my country, right now more doctors are switching to other professions. Yes, that's right, we do oftentimes feel overworked and underpaid. There are so few of us and there so few patients. What I'm wondering is- how come we're still underpaid if we are that valuable? Is it because payment for healthcare instead of going to us is going to HMO's?

I drive my kids 25 miles to the doctor as it is. There is a doctors office where there are several doctors a little closer, but they are so busy it takes forever to get an appointment. I hope my kids doctor does not decide to quit. The kids love him and I like him too.

It is worrysome.Somebody need more money and want to find some easy job.In china,There already are not enough doctors to cure patients in shanghai now.

hi ersmommy1 it seems that doctors are slowly losing their ardor to their profession. i cannot blame them. like what has been said, some are overworked and underpaid. in my country there are actually doctors who go back to school to become registered nurses. this is for the opportunity to go abroad and earn more money. you cannot blame them because life is getting hard. however, the ratio of the population to a doctor has become frightening. the problem has become apparent in the rural areas where the dedicated doctors go and serve the people. when i was younger, i have never dreamed of becoming a doctor. this is because i was scared of such huge responsibility. indeed, doctors have great responsibilities. i hope they are also rewarded accordingly. have a great day!

And because there are too many doctors out there. Its getting too "crowded"

Its because they dont make that much money anymore.

wow thats totaly not cool huh. Doctors are really like gods in the nature of this because they have cures and help us with health issues. Thats so sad to hear.

Yes. that bothers and worries me. We do not have any health insurance right now and we moved and do not have a regular family doctor. alot of them are not taking any new patients.

I bet it has little to do with being overworked, and more to do with Obama's tax plans. That's affecting a lot of people. My husband's cousin is a doctor. He hasn't quit yet, but he plans to once Obama takes office and starts putting these things into affect. In the meantime he's making plans for his earnings so that he won't have to give it all to the government.

Ahhh... the media... they love to play tricks on people. It says "[...] 13 percent said they plan to seek a job that removes them from active patient care." That's only 13% of people that were surveyed - what about the other 87%? That 87% don't want to quit, so I don't see a worry in this matter. However, the 60% that don't recommend medicine as a career is a problem. That means that they are obviously working too much or they have lost patience in their job. In that article, I saw a lot of "Obama." I don't know if Obama will allow changes in the medical field for work hours, but that does show that they need a bit of attention in that area.

This is worrysome. Doctors are always in need and that they are overworked just means that the demand is still high. I know that being a doctor can be a rewarding career (since I almost became one got accepted to go to med school but after interning decided it was not for me) but it takes a special person to do it. I wish good luck on those who do and it is rewarding financially and in life.