Private Physician on Healthcare

All this week we have covered the Healthcare Reform debate. We have shared stories from our repre...  More »

All this week we have covered the Healthcare Reform debate. We have shared stories from our representatives in Washington, business owners, rural health officials and the uninsured. Tonight we ask how the the proposals would affect private physicians. Doctor Rick Paulson is a plastic surgeon. He has owned his private clinic since 2000. Paulson says a majority of his practice is not covered by insurance. He says under the government proposals, even the procedures that would be covered would be at a cheaper rate. Something Paulson says would likely be felt by all medical facilities. (Dr. Rick Paulson/ Aesthetic Center) "That is going to mean physicians in this state are going to be making less money. The hospitals are going to be making less money. They are going to be able to afford nurses and respiratory techs and their lab techs less money. It is a matter of money and you are not going to see the draw into North Daktoa the healthcare workers that we need to support the population." Paulson says the government option would have some other disadvantages. He has not accepted a government plan at his clinic for the past four years. He says the reason for this is because of the high administrative costs. (Dr. Rick Paulson/ Aesthetic Center) "By this I mean my billing girl next door spending two to three hours filling out a form. The governemtn forms are always fifty percent longer if not more. everyone that has filled out a government form can attest to that whether it is medicine or not. The forms are longer. It takes more time. It becomes more burdensome to collect the money and then when you do collect the reimbursements are substantially less." Paulson says he does agree the issue of healthcare needs to be addressed. But he says it has to be done so in a way that makes sense and is a benefit to everyone.  « Less