Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom
Health Freedom Minute March 12, 2012
Doctors Just Want to Go to Work A woman who finds office space for clinics recently talked about doctors being acquired by big systems. She said, “You have these solid, independent specialty groups saying, ʻWeʼre done.ʼ She said, “The doctors just want to go to work, they donʼt want to deal with the administrative part…” Sheʼs right, but the end result is not good. UnitedHealth Group, the nationʼs largest insurer, is buying up medical practices. New contracts allow the insurer to reward or penalize doctors according to how well they comply with the planʼs treatment directives. Doctors who are health plan employees threaten patient care. Next time you see your doctor, ask him “who are you working for?” Then find an independent doctor to keep in business. “Clinic mergers shaking up the medical office market,” Don Jacobson, Star Tribune, February 17, 2012. “UnitedHealth Revamps Fees,” Anna Wilde Mathews, The Wall Street Journal, February 8, 2012. “UnitedHealth Buys California Group of 2,300 Doctors,” Anna Wilde Mathews, The Wall Street Journal, September 1, 2011.
Presented daily by Twila Brase, President, Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom. The Health Freedom Minute is now heard in 37 states: Mornings M-Th at AM1280 (The Patriot) in MN and 91.5 AM WHKC (FreedomFM) in OH, afternoons on American Family Radio, and daily on the Bott Radio Network.
CCHF ● 161 St. Anthony Ave. ● Suite 923 ● St. Paul, MN 55103 ● 651-646-8935 ● www.cchfreedom.org CCHF supports patient and doctor freedom, medical innovation, and the right of citizens to a confidential patient-doctor relationship.
