Who's Your Doctor's Daddy?

[marmar]

Published on Thursday, July 14, 2011 by CommonDreams.org
Who's Your Doctor's Daddy?

by Donna Smith


Patients in the United States have known for a long time that they are not the decision makers in matters related to their personal health and well-being. Just as for-profit corporate interests control elections, candidates, public officials, policies and enforcement, for-profit health insurance companies control healthcare delivery. So when a recent report came out about insurance companies buying up physician groups and providers in increasing numbers, I wasn’t very surprised.

Left to the for-profit financial services corporations known as health insurance companies, more firmly entrenched market-based healthcare delivery will thrive on doctors doing exactly what shareholders need them to do as direct employees.

A colleague pointed out to me that this really isn’t too much of a news flash, and that doctors have been working for their keep from the for-profit insurance companies for some time. I suppose it’s just shocking to my sensibilities to now need to ask directly of my doctors and other providers, “Who owns this practice or facility? CIGNA? United Health Care?” Knowing who is signing the paychecks is critical to knowing whose interests are being protected and enhanced.

But drill deeper into this business strategy. From the article: “The model poses a natural threat to providers, particularly hospitals. OptumHealth, UnitedHealth's subsidiary, has said its physician networks serve all players in a health system, including rival health plans with policyholders who use the same physicians… Primary care physicians are already in high-demand, and by acquiring them in certain markets, insurers could potentially wrest control of entire health systems by influencing referrals - whether that is an explicit intention or not.” .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/07/14-2

[Hawkowl]

1. Vertical monopolies

Are health care facilities and practitioners exempt from the Sherman Anti-trust Act? Could the health insurance companies be prosecuted for collusion and price fixing?