Health Care

I just read an interesting article in Texas Monthly (Sept 2008) titled Small-Town Family Doctor. What I found interesting was Dr. Edwards' statement that "Medicare only pays 60 cents for every dollar I charge; Medicaid is even worse." He also goes on to explain that there is a shortage of primary care physicians expecially in small towns. He is the only doctor in Garza county, TX which has a population of 4,872.

With a lot of emphasis being put on health care during the election this year, several thoughts have occured to me:

1) Fewer medical students are choosing primary care because of financial rewards.

2) Most graduates leave medical school $140,000 in debt.

3) Doctors and hospitals do not want to handle Medicare and Medicaid due to the paperwork hassle and inadiquate reimbursement.

The states need to offer medical students a deal: attend college in our state, become a primary care physician, spend your first 3-5 years in an area of our state that needs doctors, and we will pay $100,000 of your student loan.

The government also needs to fix the Medicare and Medicaid system. Standard and customary charges should be paid at 100%. These systems care for the elderly and the poor, two groups that need better care.