SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Mayo Clinic, one of the country's top hospitals, is in the midst of controversy after its CEO said that the elite medical facility would prioritize the care of patients with private health insurance over those with Medicare and Medicaid.
The prioritization by the Rochester, MN-headquartered medical practice was recently revealed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. And it has quickly drawn out some sharp critics—as well as sympathizers.
In a statement to the Minnesota Post Bulletin, Dr. Gerard Anderson, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Hospital Finance and Management, compared the prioritization to policies seen in developing countries. "This is what happens in many low-income countries. The health system is organized to give the most affluent preference in receiving health care," he wrote.
Likewise, Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Emily Piper, expressed surprise and concern by the statements of Mayo's CEO, Dr. John Noseworthy. "Fundamentally, it's our expectation at DHS that Mayo Clinic will serve our enrollees in public programs on an equal standing with any other Minnesotan that walks in their door," she said. "We have a lot of questions for Mayo Clinic about how and if and through what process this directive from Dr. Noseworthy is being implemented across their health system."
Specifically, Noseworthy said in a video to Mayo employees late last year:
We're asking... if the patient has commercial insurance, or they're Medicaid or Medicare patients and they're equal, that we prioritize the commercial insured patients enough so... we can be financially strong at the end of the year.
In statements, Mayo has confirmed Noseworthy's prioritization and added that about 50 percent of its patients are beneficiaries of government programs. "Balancing payer mix is complex and isn't unique to Mayo Clinic. It affects much of the industry, but it's often not talked about. That's why we feel it is important to talk transparently about these complex issues with our staff."
Source: Ars Technica
(Score: 3, Interesting) by VLM on Wednesday March 22 2017, @04:18PM
Shoppers with 15 items or less get priority service!
Interesting idea to think about, the local grocery store express lanes have all converted over the last 5-10 years to self-checkout. So instead of having 1 express lane with a human operator there's perhaps 8 self checkouts and no lines and no one cares if you scan an entire shopping cart at self check.
The point being that some kind of kiosk / expert system type thing might develop in health care such that as long as I'm willing to sit in a booth, an AI chat bot will discuss medications until I'm tired of talking for a much lower fee than talking to a GP / PA / RN.
Also on the topic of cheaper easier to access care, I live in a state where they allow PAs (I don't think all do?) and I think I've only met my GP once, I always end up talking to the PA. The PA is pretty cool so I don't mind. Supposedly it costs my insurance (aka your pocketbooks) much less to talk to the PA. I'm a paleo diet guy so I'm pretty healthy so I've never been sick enough to need my GP although law of averages will catch up to be in the coming decades I'm sure.