Friday, November 27, 2015

We Used to Understand ...Today We Are Unreasonable.

I like my blog to reflect things that are going on in the world, in America, in our local community, and sometimes,  how it relates to my own little world and dentistry (my favorite thing.)

The children of our friends were in the Capital District for Thanksgiving. They live in a rent controlled apartment in NYC. Rent control means that the GOVERNMENT is going to tell the owner of a building what he or she can charge.  In practical terms, this means that the building will stay in a high state of disrepair because the landlord cannot make a penny if they do repairs. The children complained that the building was almost a fire trap with the insulation around electric wires disintegrating due to old age.

If we don't want to pay for something why would we expect that we will receive more than the minimum?

In another aspect of our lives:

Everyday, I hear my patients tell me about a serious misdiagnosis by a physician for themselves or a family member... How is this possible and why is it so common? Because doctors are allowed to spend only minutes listening to their patients and developing a diagnosis.

I know that you believe that you pay a lot for health insurance...and you do. Unfortunately, the vast majority of what you pay does NOT go to the doctor...It does go to 'administration' of health care which eats up the majority of health dollars.

We didn't want to pay doctors for taking care of us so now we pay the insurance industry to do it...And I think that we are are no longer getting the great care that we deserve.