Page 29 - OctSam2019

CORPORATE
MEDICINE

lower salaries from coal operators to maintain it. Who Pays for Healthcare in the US?
Thus, we can see some examples of the American in-
genuity of employers solving their problems and achiev-
ing a “good fit” directly and on a local level. It has been
said in healthcare that, “if you do what is right for the pa-
tient, everything else will fall into place.” After all, we as
physicians went to school and got our training so we
could serve our patients. We as physicians all know that
the real value in what we do is doctor-to-patient, or in our
employer-financed healthcare system, clinic-to-company.

As billions of dollars are spent on lobbying and as
healthcare rises on the political agenda, I fear that
it takes us further away from restoring what has Source: Congressional budget Office; staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation.
been lost in healthcare.
care can shop for what they need and obtain it directly and on a
I operate a clinic in San Antonio called direct Med Clinic. In that local level.
capacity, I feel privileged to satisfy the needs of the community in As we look for solutions to healthcare problems, let’s be wise and
ways I have described above. The direct Primary Care (dPC) model not try too hard to make something fit if there is a better way.
provides access to healthcare for those who might otherwise go
without it because premiums or deductibles are too high. This is References
done by contracting directly with small employers who value their Cook, b. (1999, October 01). Redefining Corporate Medicine. Re-
employees but who cannot afford insurance. This allows a physician trieved August 7, 2019, from https://www.aafp.org/
fpm/1999/1000/p9.html
to also see to the needs of large employers through onsite clinic
Field, M. J., & Shapiro, H. T. (1993). Origins and Evolution of Em-
services. For medium-sized employers, affordable access is provided
ployment-based Health benefits. In Employment and health bene-
through a “near-site” model. fits: A connection at risk. Washington, d.C.: National Academy
Practicing this way allows the use of technology to care for our Press.
patients freely by whatever modality is a good fit. It has been said How it all started. Retrieved August 07, 2019, from
that “technology has far outgrown reimbursement systems”. Tech- https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/our-story/our-history/how-
it-all-started
nology is a tool just as any surgical instrument. In the hands of an
Crosson, J. (2006). dr. Garfield's Enduring legacy--Challenges and
experienced physician, it can be used that way. Patients can use
opportunities. The Permanente Journal, 10(2). doi:10.7812/tpp/05-
HIPAA compliant secure app-to-text, upload photos, videos or do 146
video chat. Coal Act. Retrieved August 7, 2019, from http://umwa.org/for-mem-
despite the government subsidy of healthcare, it is still the em- bers/pensions-retiree-info/coal-act/
ployer that pays for the majority of healthcare in this country. Schmidt, G. United Mine Workers of America welfare and retirement
funds. Retrieved August 07, 2019, from
According to Mercer’s National Survey of Employer-Sponsored
http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/flr/vol16/iss2/4
Health Plans 2018, the average per-employee cost tops $13,000
Joint Committee on Taxation. Retrieved August 10, 2019, from
among employers with 500 or more employees. With all this cost, it https://www.jct.gov/
is ironic that employers do not actually pay those who actually pro- Mercer National Survey. Retrieved August 9, 2019, from
vide the care. https://www.mercer.us/what-we-do/health-and-benefits/strategy-
To the extent physicians can restore the direct relationship, we and-transformation/mercer-national-survey-benefit-trends.html
About FMMA. Retrieved August 9, 2019, from
can align the incentives to what was the foundation of what our
https://fmma.org/about-us/
American free market and employer-based healthcare system was
based upon. The development and growth of the Free Market Med- Roger Moczygemba, MD, graduated from Texas A&M University Health
ical Association is an example of this principle. Through price trans- Science Center - College Station in 1992, is specialized in General Family
parency, providers and healthcare facilities demystify the cost of Medicine and Occupational Medicine, and is the owner of Direct Med Clinic
healthcare and create a free market where the purchasers of health- in San Antonio, Texas.

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