“FREE” MEDICAL EXAMS

Who’s Paying For It?

Over the last year we’ve written numerous articles on our various Silkin Management Group blog sites about the new health care legislation. One thing that we’ve seen more and more of in reading about this legislation is that there are many undefined ambiguities in the law that will be decided and clarified by administration rules and regulations yet to come out.

Although the authors of the legislation promised lower premiums and greater service, we have already seen increased premiums throughout the country since the legislation was passed.

Today I read an article in the New York Times (you can access this article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/health/policy/15health.html?th&emc=th) which discussed the latest health care “rule” issued by the White House. This rule requires health insurance companies to provide “free” coverage for a large list of screenings and laboratory tests that fit into a preventative care category. The list includes tests for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, AIDS, and depression as well as counseling for obesity and smoking. There may be more services included such as services for contraceptives as well as additional rules mandating frequency of various tests.

As consultants to private practice health care owners for over 30 years, Silkin Management Group has helped thousands of doctors better manage their practices. But now, with these rules being issued by the government on what you must do for free, we see only greater and greater government control and running of the health care industry.

Any person in business knows that nothing is for free. Who do these “rule-makers” think is going to pay for these “free” services? As the article points out, these new rules will raise premiums in order to pay for the “free”services. Gosh, I thought the new legislation was supposed to reduce premiums.

I suggest that all Silkin Management Group clients as well as any other health care practice owner read this article and all information associated with it in order to stay abreast of what is going on with the increasing government control of this industry. We have always agreed that reforms were and are needed but mandating free service is not, in our opinion, a needed reform.

Bill Hickey
Silkin Management Group Consultant

If you would like more information about Silkin Management Group visit our website at www.silkinmanagementgroup.com. You can also contact Silkin Management Group at info@silkinmanagementgroup.com.