Governor singles out physicians
By: LARRY N. FRANCIS, M.D. - Commentary: | ∞
Southern California recently experienced a collective calamity respecting the fires that spread throughout our land. Deplorably, there was some tragedy but not because we didn't try. The fires were costly involving personal loss, economic loss and emotionally exhausting.
Many, especially firefighters, worked diligently, putting in long hours. Yes, the firefighters received paychecks, but it was because of their extensive training and experience and their dedication to the job and devotion to the people they serve that they prevailed against the inferno.
Although there was a large support team that was immensely important, it was the firefighters facing the flames, the heat, the danger and the mental and physical challenges that made success happen.
Now, we residents -- in particular those who have suffered personal losses -- confront the economic consequences of these fires. Certainly, many have insurance, others have sufficient personal economic means to blunt the immense costs. But many, including our city, county, state and federal governments have to deal with these economic demands.
Well at least our state of California and our governor needn't be bumfuzzled. Whether Gov. Schwarzenegger knows it or not, he has presented a plan to us and our Legislature to offset the costs of dealing with these issues.
Physicians, with their dedication, extensive training and experience, go forth daily to apply their skills to prevent personal loss to others and to ward off economic and emotional loss caused by disease, accidents and trauma. Although, perhaps, not as headline-catching, they too face death dealing with AIDS, hepatitis A, B and C, difficult-to-treat tuberculosis, antibiotic-resistant germs and other challenges.
Medical institutions, specifically hospitals, share in the responsibility of caring for us. They are mandated by various agencies, including the state, to maintain personnel and equipment and to comply with an agglomeration of regulations to satisfy multiple government agencies.
It should be quite clear that our governor's plan to pay for his healthcare plan should and could be adopted to pay for the expenses of these recent fires and future scourges to our land and residents. After all, sound public policy should be applicable across broad spectrums, shouldn't it?
Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed that to cover the costs of providing health care to all California residents, physicians should be taxed 2 percent of their gross, or pretax, income and hospitals should pay 4 percent of their gross income. Consequently, it follows that 2 percent of firefighters' gross income could be taxed and 4 percent of the various fire departments taxed to compensate for the state of California's expenses. After all, the firefighters, fire departments, physicians and hospitals are involved in working for the public good.
It appears that the governor feels that those on the front line of public health should be singled out for a special tax as a unique recognition of their services to the state of California.
-- Larry N. Francis, M.D., is a Murrieta resident.
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Randy wrote on Jan 23, 2008 3:25 AM:The Governor's health care proposal doesn't stand a chance of being enacted this year.
Ray wrote on Jan 23, 2008 3:29 AM:There is a big difference between making a living and gross excess. Physicians fall into the gross excess catagory. I do not believe in charging someone $125.00 to see you for about a minute, nor do I believe in the $50.00 cotton ball. The only way we are going to get true health care reform is to address the real problems. It's easy to blame the faceless insurance companies but what about the hospitals, doctors, drug companies and nurses. Sorry doctor, no BMW this year, try a Chevy.
Duh? wrote on Jan 23, 2008 7:29 AM:Dear Dr. Francis - firefighters don't make in excess of $250K per year for less than 40 hours of work per week. Private doctor's offices are closed at least one working day in the week and are open from 9-5 the remaining 4 days, but closed for a 2 hour lunch each working day. How do I know? I'm a doctor's wife. Go cry somewhere else. Your pleas of unfairness are falling on deaf ears.
I agree with wrote on Jan 23, 2008 7:34 AM:the Doctor 100%! Our moron Gov. has not only caused a middle class TAX PAYER flight from California, now he wants to do it to the Doctors and hospitals, time for Arnold to have a brain lobotomy?
chriso wrote on Jan 23, 2008 7:36 AM:Physicians barely make enough to pay their loans off and raise a family. They work in windowless exam rooms seeing too many patients per day. They are mostly employees now being second guessed by everybody. Their reimbursement rates should be dramatically increased by Medicare and Medi-Cal to allow them to have time to treat patients.
Alf wrote on Jan 23, 2008 8:15 AM:Well, "Duh?" at 7:29AM, do you get the ?pleasure? of having your spouse be "On Call" (try to eat a dinner out while on call or have a decent sleep while on call. I've been there, done that) and have to make hospital rounds if they want the privilege of being able to admit patients directly? My wife is a "Clinic Doctor" who used to be private practice. She found that the requirement for "Call" and "Rounds" IN ADDITION TO office hours was "wearing thin". Regards, Alf.
Alf wrote on Jan 23, 2008 8:30 AM:Well, "chriso" at 7:36AM, you are right. 8 real working hours times 4 patients per hour equals 32 patients seen. PLUS doing charts and other associated paperwork. PLUS having the "15 minute" appointment with the "Oh, by the way" and the ever favorite "The school needs an ADHD workup" (a minimum of 1 hour) in a 15 minute slot that has you bump everyone by 45 minutes and they don't like waiting. "Do you get to "punch out" at "quitting time" or do you work until the job is done, each and every day, no excuses? AND then try to have "a life" outside the office??" is something that many critics of doctors should be asked and then asked again and then asked again!! Regards, Alf.
Cassandra wrote on Jan 23, 2008 8:30 AM:Try and find a physician who will take a Medi-cal patient in San Diego. Only the community clinics and sometimes UCSD will treat the poor. Sure emergency rooms will take you, but there is little or no preventative care. In our humble opinion, the system is broken. It's hard to have a lot of sympathy for this opinion piece. Yes, you're well trained, have college debts, and your working conditions aren't always easy....just like the rest of us.
To Chriso wrote on Jan 23, 2008 9:12 AM:Physicans barely make a living? find me one who drives less than a Lexus?
And to help wrote on Jan 23, 2008 9:51 AM:with the cost is an additional tax on all packages of cigarettes, which I agree with. But then we must come to the issue of alcoholic beverages which alone contributes to millions of deaths every year. There needs to be a higher tax on every can, bottle of alcohol sold.
We could give wrote on Jan 23, 2008 9:52 AM:a hefty cut to the school administrators and teachers salaries and use that money to help pay for this system!
Alf wrote on Jan 23, 2008 12:06 PM:Well, "To Chriso" at 9:12AM, YOU GOT IT. Our only car is an '04 Honda Accord that just got its 100 thousand mile service. My wife is a "Clinic Doctor" who has patients whose parents drive them 35 miles out of the way, just to see her. We do more than "barely get by", but please, knock off the "rich Doctor" routine. She helped me stand the walls of our house and also did the "Half-Dome" hike in 1 day. (16 miles total, 4,800 feet elevation gain one way). If you want to earn respect, try 4 years of college followed by 4 years of medical school followed by 2 years MINIMUM of residency training followed by annual Continuing Medical Education requirements to keep your licensure. My wife has earned the right to be respected 10 times over. Regards, Alf.
Alf wrote on Jan 23, 2008 12:11 PM:Where does the money come from if people quit smoking and drinking? I know that the question is not a real situation, but if you pin your hopes on a diminishing core group (smokers are becoming fewer) you will eventually lose your income. I KNOW!! TAX SEX!! Regards, Alf.
To Alf wrote on Jan 23, 2008 12:42 PM:Once we agree! Smokers are becoming fewer, please explain the increase in cancer in California. Global Warming, Bird Flu or gasoline emissions? Ever take a walk outside and taste something gritty on your tongue or smell the delightful aroma of gas from passing cars?
Cash wrote on Jan 23, 2008 1:21 PM:I think the ol' govenator has lost his marbles lately.
Hank wrote on Jan 23, 2008 6:42 PM:Doctors should be paid MORE, and not be forced to pay for the privilege of treating Medi-Cal and other medically-indigent patients. Wake up, doctors now treat Medi-Cal and other medically-indigent for NOTHING. $50 for a doctor with at least 7 years of medical school and postgraduate training to spend all night treating and watching over a critically ill medically-indigent patient is NOTHING. I exaggerate, it might be less than $50. I know from personal experience. I treated Medi-Cal patients for NOTHING. I did it because it made me feel good. It cost more to bill Medi-Cal than we got paid, so we did not bill. Tax doctors' income for the privilege of providing a free service. What an asinine idea. Keep this up, and you will not have any doctors treating medically-indigent patients in this state. Maybe that is the government's overall objective. I wonder.
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