1 post tagged “big government”

On December 15, 2008 the New York Post ran an article about Dr. John Muney, a doctor who is providing affordable health care for his patients.

An enterprising New York physician sick of dealing with tedious and time-consuming health-insurance practices is cutting out the middleman and offering unlimited office care directly to patients for $79 a month. 
Dr. John Muney, a surgeon with clinics in all five boroughs, has started offering everything from yearly mammograms to mole removal for less than $1,000 a year.

As I said that was on December 15th 2008.  On March 4, 2009 there was another article in the New York Post about the good Doctor:  STATE SLAPS DR. DO-GOOD.  It took the state just over 2 months to start trying to shut Dr, John Muney down.  Why?  What did he doing wrong?  According to the state his offense is providing affordable health care.

The state is trying to shut down a New York City doctor's ambitious plan to treat uninsured patients for around $1,000 a year.
Dr. John Muney offers his patients everything from mammograms to mole removal at his AMG Medical Group clinics, which operate in all five boroughs.
"I'm trying to help uninsured people here," he said.
His patients agree to pay $79 a month for a year in return for unlimited office visits with a $10 co-pay.
But his plan landed him in the crosshairs of the state Insurance Department, which ordered him to drop his fixed-rate plan - which it claims is equivalent to an insurance policy.

Dr. Muney (and his patients) disagree with the state.

"I'm not doing an insurance business," he said. "I'm just providing my services at my place during certain hours."

He says he can afford to charge such a small amount because he doesn't have to process mountains of paperwork and spend hours on billing.

"If they leave me alone, I can serve thousands of patients," he said.

The State disagrees.

The state believes his plan runs afoul of the law because it promises to cover unplanned procedures - like treating a sudden ear infection - under a fixed rate. That's something only a licensed insurance company can do.

[emphasis added]

Big Government steps in and screws things up again.  Thanks to the stupid laws enacted by the state medical doctors are not allowed to sell their service how they want.

A possible solution that Muney's lawyer crafted would force patients to pay more than $10 for unplanned procedures.
They are waiting to see if the state will accept the compromise. Still, Muney is unhappy because, he said, "I really don't want to charge more. They're forcing me."
One of his patients, Matthew Robinson, 52, was furious to learn the state was interfering with the plan.
"The whole point is, he [Muney] found a way of paying his rent, paying his workers, and getting to see patients for the price," said Robinson.
"How can the state dictate you've got to charge more?"

Just another example of Government bureaucrats driving up the cost of affordable health care.  The truth be told there are a lot of lessons here.  First look how much cheaper health care is when you cut out the insurance companies.  Second, look how when the Government gets involved it screws up a good thing and hurts the people that it is supposed to help.  Lastly what right does the state have to dictate to any private enterprise what they can can charge for their goods and services?  

Now just wait for B.O. and the Democrats to get a hold of our health care system on a federal level.  I guess if B.O. does take over health care he will solve the Social Security crises, because most of us will not be living long enough to draw any funds...

God help us.