The cause of most bankruptcy

[TexasTiger 13,017]

Half of Bankruptcy Due to Medical Bills -- U.S. Study

Wed Feb 2, 4:29 AM ET

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Half of all U.S. bankruptcies are caused by soaring medical bills and most people sent into debt by illness are middle-class workers with health insurance, researchers said on Wednesday.

The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, estimated that medical bankruptcies affect about 2 million Americans every year, if both debtors and their dependents, including about 700,000 children, are counted.

"Our study is frightening. Unless you're Bill Gates (news - web sites) you're just one serious illness away from bankruptcy," said Dr. David Himmelstein, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (news - web sites) who led the study.

"Most of the medically bankrupt were average Americans who happened to get sick. Health insurance offered little protection."

The researchers got the permission of bankruptcy judges in California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas to survey 931 people who filed for bankruptcy.

"About half cited medical causes, which indicates that 1.9 to 2.2 million Americans (filers plus dependents) experienced medical bankruptcy," they wrote.

"Among those whose illnesses led to bankruptcy, out-of-pocket costs averaged $11,854 since the start of illness; 75.7 percent had insurance at the onset of illness."

The average bankrupt person surveyed had spent $13,460 on co-payments, deductibles and uncovered services if they had private insurance. People with no insurance spent an average of $10,893 for such out-of-pocket expenses.

"Even middle-class insured families often fall prey to financial catastrophe when sick," the researchers wrote.

Bankruptcy specialists said the numbers seemed sound.

"From 1982 to 1989, I reviewed every bankruptcy petition filed in South Carolina, and during that period I came to the conclusion that there were two major causes of bankruptcy: medical bills and divorce," said George Cauthen, a lawyer at Columbia-based law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP.

"Each accounted, roughly, for about a third of all individual filings in South Carolina."

He said fewer than 1 percent of all bankruptcy filings were due to credit card debt. "That truly is a myth," Cauthen said in a telephone interview.

Cauthen said he was not surprised to hear that so many of the bankrupt people in the study were middle-class.

"Usually people who have something to protect file bankruptcy," he said. "The truly indigent -- people that we see on the street -- there is no relief that we can give them."

Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, a Harvard associate professor and physician who advocates for universal health coverage, said the study supported demands for health reform.

"Covering the uninsured isn't enough. We must also upgrade and guarantee continuous coverage for those who have insurance," Woolhandler said in a statement.

She said many employers and politicians were pressing for what she called "stripped-down plans so riddled with co-payments, deductibles and exclusions that serious illness leads straight to bankruptcy.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=...cy_dc&printer=1

[tiger88 934]

What is freaked up is that if you have insurance the hospital will charge you 20,000 and the ins. will cover say 2,000 of it and the hospital agrees and forgets the rest. If you aren't insured you are responsible for the whole deal.

[LegalEagle 22]

Good point T88. If you don't have any insurance, you can shop hospitals and negotiate a deal prior to surgery for a reduced rate. If you do not do this, you are stuck with the entire amount. Pitiful system it is.

[ChattanoogaTiger 0]

A perfect system it is not...but then again there are no perfect systems. Whatever system might be modelled has some type of built in rationing.

Fortunately there are programs for catastrophic illness built into the system. A good social worker in a large hospital is invaluable in finding resources.

LegalEagle's suggestion to negotiate is an excellent idea even after the fact. The hospital administrators will most often agree to a reduced payment if asked. Try to enlist your doctor as an advocate. I have done this many times for the parents of my patients

[Auburn85 432]

Somethig tells me that maybe some Bush bashing was to come from this.

No doubt insurance has become expensive.

Bush is trying to control frivilous lawsuits, but I've already seen commercials with permanently damaged children claiming "why Mr. Bush do you want to put a price on pain or to protect bad doctors"?

But hey my father has has had a masive heart attack, stomach bacterial infection

He had this within a 6 month period. He stayed a total of 8 days in the hospital.

Currently he takes about 6 different kinds of medicine.

Fortunately, the DOCTOR took him off Vioxx about a year ago. Then, several months ago he was taken off Bextra by the DOCTOR. So kudos to my father's doctor, he seen the warning signs well before it got taken off.

But it's a shame that the people who made these medicines had to know something prior to the medicine being taken off the shelves.

[ChattanoogaTiger 0]

Somethig tells me that maybe some Bush bashing was to come from this.

No doubt insurance has become expensive.

Bush is trying to control frivilous lawsuits, but I've already seen commercials with permanently damaged children claiming "why Mr. Bush do you want to put a price on pain or to protect bad doctors"?

But hey my father has has had a masive heart attack, stomach bacterial infection

He had this within a 6 month period. He stayed a total of 8 days in the hospital.

Currently he takes about 6 different kinds of medicine.

Fortunately, the DOCTOR took him off Vioxx about a year ago. Then, several months ago he was taken off Bextra by the DOCTOR. So kudos to my father's doctor, he seen the warning signs well before it got taken off.

But it's a shame that the people who made these medicines had to know something prior to the medicine being taken off the shelves.

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The whole issue with Vioxx applies to the entire category of Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID) (this includes the over the counter ibuprofen). This information has been known for a while and it is a little unfair to just pick on Vioxx as the same problem can occur with any NSAID. Remember that any medication has potential for good and harm. The old risk benefit equation comes into effect

Do not take this as a defense of NSAID's (particularly Vioxx). Tihs is just another example of trying to balance the good effect with the potentially harmful effects. Any physician should be willing to discuss risk benefit with patients

[tiger88 934]

Good point T88.  If you don't have any insurance, you can shop hospitals and negotiate a deal prior to surgery for a reduced rate.  If you do not do this, you are stuck with the entire amount.  Pitiful system it is.

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Here's a tangent. Almost two years ago, my boss's wife and I suffered from a kidney stone approximately a week apart. We were treated in different cities only about 30 miles apart. We both had pretty much the exact same treatment. Cat scan, pain killer and not much else.

My bill: 2200- ins covered about 600 of it.

Her bill: 5000+ her ins. covered about 700 of it.

A co worker had a friend who's wife was in the same hosp. as my bosses wife for a hysterectomy. Another wife of one of his friends had the same deal done at a hospital around 50 miles away. One bill-20,000 the other-10,000.

I'm guessing that this one hospital is greatly overcharging in an attempt to get more from the ins. company. However, what about those w/o ins. who have an emergency deal and are stuck with the bill? Seems like the ones who go to the overbilling hosp. will be much more likely to file bankruptcy. Oh well, no one said life was fair.

[MDM4AU 336]

Good point T88.  If you don't have any insurance, you can shop hospitals and negotiate a deal prior to surgery for a reduced rate.  If you do not do this, you are stuck with the entire amount.  Pitiful system it is.

143960[/snapback]

Here's a tangent. Almost two years ago, my boss's wife and I suffered from a kidney stone approximately a week apart. We were treated in different cities only about 30 miles apart. We both had pretty much the exact same treatment. Cat scan, pain killer and not much else.

My bill: 2200- ins covered about 600 of it.

Her bill: 5000+ her ins. covered about 700 of it.

A co worker had a friend who's wife was in the same hosp. as my bosses wife for a hysterectomy. Another wife of one of his friends had the same deal done at a hospital around 50 miles away. One bill-20,000 the other-10,000.

I'm guessing that this one hospital is greatly overcharging in an attempt to get more from the ins. company. However, what about those w/o ins. who have an emergency deal and are stuck with the bill? Seems like the ones who go to the overbilling hosp. will be much more likely to file bankruptcy. Oh well, no one said life was fair.

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When it comes to the cost/charges of hospitals I don't know all the details but I know that the rates are not the same across the board. UAB will cost more for "X" precedure than say Cullman Regional or Caraway in Winfield. Shelby Baptist in Alabaster is less than UAB and they are about 30+/- miles apart.

[tiger88 934]

I see what your saying. Still though, double the amount? They don't recoup twice as much from bc/bs but they usually get a little more. Thats why I thought they were inflating their prices to get a little more from the ins. companies. They are a smaller hosp. so maybe that has something to do with it.

[TexasTiger 13,017]

Somethig tells me that maybe some Bush bashing was to come from this.

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Sorry to disappoint you. This problem well preceded Bush. It is a complex issue that deserves serious attention. I'm not sitting on a ready-made answer, but the problem continues to get worse, not better. We spend more on health care than any other country and yet we have problems such as this and, shamefully, one of the highest infant mortality rates in the industrialized world. If politicians are looking for a impending crisis to address, this one qualifies more than some other matters.

[Auburn85 432]

I can't belive it took you this long to say something about it

I just seen it as a problem of or under the sun and I assumed it was Bush's fault.

You're right everything accross the board regarding health insurance has increaded dramatically.

The doctor's are feeling it to with the outrageously high malpractice insurance.

[MDM4AU 336]

The causes for increases in health insurance premium range from Drugs and other medical advances (approx. $15 Billion/yr), to Government mandates and regs. (approx. $10 Billion/yr), to increased consumer demand ($10 Billion/yr), to inflation ($12 Billion). Litigation and risk management account for about 5 Billion a year. Increased provider expenses account for around $12 billion/yr.

This is from a study by PricewaterhouseCooper for 2003.

[TexasTiger 13,017]

The doctor's are feeling it to with the outrageously high malpractice insurance.

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As insurance company profits go through the roof and their paid-off politicians blame the "trial lawyers."

Will the Presidential Candidates Ever Talk About Insurance Company Profits?

Health Care Costs Fueled by 86% Insurer Profit Increase

While huge increases in insurance company profits are fueling double digit increase in health insurance costs neither President Bush nor Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry have provided a solution that will protect American patients struggling to afford health coverage, according to the nonpartisan Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.

A survey released yesterday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have experienced double digit increases over each of the last four years -- an 11.2% increase in 2004 alone. Meanwhile new data show that HMOs and other health insurers recorded an 86% profit increase in 2003. California HMOs reported the highest aggregate earnings at $773.6 million (see below for an analysis of insurer profits).

In addition to HMOs, property and casualty insurers reported a 182% gain in the first quarter of 2004 compared to the same period in 2003. While the GOP consistently points to insurance litigation costs, Republican leaders have yet to address how the profitability of insurers has driven up the cost of coverage for all consumers. Profit data for health, property and casualty insurers was released this week by the independent market analyst, Weiss Ratings Inc.

"Why won't either candidate say that the reason that more Americans cannot afford health insurance coverage is because insurance companies are recording double and triple digit profit increases?," said Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR). "President Bush and Senator Kerry better start talking about ways to control insurer profiteering and regulate rate increases because American families can no longer afford the insurance coverage they need."

In the U.S., 44 million people are uninsured -- as many as 80% of whom are members of working families. In 2002, the largest increase in uninsured rates occurred for middle income families.

Nationally HMOs and health insurers spend up to 25% or more of the health care premiums they collect on profit and overhead, including advertising and executive salaries. HMOs and health plans claim that skyrocketing premiums are the result of increasing medical costs, however, in 2002 the Kaiser Family foundation found that the cost of health insurance for a family of four increased 250% more than the rate of medical inflation.

"Because so much of our money goes to HMO profits and overhead costs, patients pay more for less care and many are forced to drop coverage altogether," said Jerry Flanagan of FTCR. "Health insurers should be required to get prior approval for rate increases similar to systems in place in California for the auto and home insurance."

FTCR said that the standards used for such health insurance reviews should be similar to those used for auto and home insurance for over a decade in California. The landmark auto insurance reform initiative, Proposition 103, championed by FTCR's Harvey Rosenfield in 1988 established a 'prior approval' system for auto, home, and property/casualty insurance. During the decade after Proposition was adopted, auto insurance rates in California went down by 4.0% while insurance products remain broadly available and competitive, and the uninsured motorist population declined by 38%. Nationally, rates rose over 25% during this period. California consumers saved over $23 billion since 1988 under the prior approval system.

According to Weiss Ratings Inc:

** The nation's HMOs nearly doubled their profits during 2003, earning $10.2 billion, an 86% increase over the $5.5 billion reported in 2002.

** For 2003, the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan reported a $1.1 billion increase, which represents one-fifth of the industry's net profit improvement.

** Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, as a group, produced a $5.4 billion profit, which is a $2.1 billion, or 63 percent, increase compared to the $3.3 billion profit recorded in 2002. The nonprofit Blue Shield of California experienced a 220% increase -- or $314.2 million in 2003, up from $142.6 million in 2002.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Bush has received $29.3 million from insurers and related contributors. Senator John Kerry has received $9.2 million.

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/pr/pr004617.php3

[MDM4AU 336]

Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, as a group, produced a $5.4 billion profit, which is a $2.1 billion, or 63 percent, increase compared to the $3.3 billion profit recorded in 2002. The nonprofit Blue Shield of California experienced a 220% increase -- or $314.2 million in 2003, up from $142.6 million in 2002.

Of the 20 BCBS plans in the US, about 8 are actually not-for-profit. As a not-for-profit, some gain is required to meet solvency requirements put in place by State Insurance Commissions (BCBSAL) as well as the BCBS Association. BCBSAL had an underwriting gain of 1.9% before taxes in 2003. The gain didn't even amount to 1/4 of the amount paid in underwritten claims for one month. BCBSAL saw consecutive years of losses from 1996-2000. BCBSAL operating expenses amount to approximately $.06 on the dollar.

Many of the state "Blues" are part of large for-profit organizations such as Wellpoint and Anthem.

[Piglet 0]

So how come you assume the high insurance costs is because the lawyers are the crooks, and not the insurers? For that matter, there's incompetent doctors who commit malpractice--maybe it's because of them that the rates go up.

If you ask me, they're all partly to blame. But I do notice that in states that have passed tort reform, the insurance rates for doctors did NOT go down like they thought. The only thing that changed was that regular folks--including people with valid claims, couldn't sue.

That tells me the insurance lobby--the ones pushing tort reform--were more to blame for the high costs than the bad lawsuits. The insurers sure make out like bandits from tort reform, that's for sure.

How about rate caps on insurance to go with the caps on damages?

[ChattanoogaTiger 0]

I will stay put of the malpractice argument as that could go for days and would be more fun if done over a pint of your favorite ale.

However from a holistic point of view,the cost of medical care in the US will continue to rise until we shift our focus from intervention to prevention

My prescription for all of us on this board: eat sensibly, exercise daily, avoid tobacco (in all its forms), drink moderately (if you choose to do so at all), and avoid "risky behavior" (you can add definition). It wouldn't hurt to take some time away from work and do things with your family (such as go to AU football games)

I know that this sounds trite but it is true. Cardiovascular disease and adult onset diabetes are much cheaper to prevent than to treat. The problem that I see is a shift of these adult problems to children. I see many children with obesity, insulin resistance (early adult onset diabetes), hypertension, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol etc). The cause? Too much fast food, no exercise, and too many hours at video games and computers

The cost of medical care is not going to decrease until this fundamental problem is addressed

To close: Try this simple screening test. Divide your weight in kilograms by your height in centimeters by your height in centimeters and multiply by 10,000. This is your body mass index. If it is over 25 you are already over weight and if over 30 you are obese. It is never too late to start life style changes

I am signing off. It is 50 degrees and sunny in Chattanooga. Think I will go outside

[tiger88 934]

I avoid doctors like the plague unless I have a freaking kidney stone or some other emergency.

Doctors have a vested interesst in keeping you coming back. Their favorite to do is medicate you so you will have to come back for periodic checkups and lab work. Doctors as a whole are a very unhealthy bunch, due to stress and other factors so why do some put such faith in a doctor to heal you when he can't keep himself/herself healthy for the most part?

If you are overweight and otherwise active and healthy, your odds of avoiding many diseases are better than someone who is a "normal" weight but gets little or no exercise. The deal is that most overweight people aren't active much at all.

The two most unnecessary surgeries are often back and abdominal area related. An honest doctor will tell you that many of these ailments will get better with time and rest. Others will rush to "cure" you and pad their pockets and cover the overhead for all that expensive machinery. Any surgery has all kinds of possible long term disadvantages from scar tissue, etc.

[MDM4AU 336]

Here are some tips people can use to help keep insurance costs down. I teach these things everyday to employers and their employees.

Use Generic Prescription Drugs When Possible. Generic drugs save consumers an estimated $8 million to $10 million a year at retail pharmacies. While they may be less expensive, FDA-approved generic equivalents can be just as effective as brand names – at about one-third of the cost.

Know Your Doctor and Pharmacist. A good relationship and better communication with your health care providers can have a major impact on costs. A trip to the doctor’s office is more than $300 cheaper than a typical ER visit, and preventing errors due to a breakdown in communication can save $15 billion annually. Similarly, if your pharmacist is familiar with you and your condition, he or she can help you make better-informed decisions about using less-expensive generic drugs.

Know Your Policy. Using network or participating providers can reduce out-of-pocket expenses, and understanding what’s covered – before you receive services – helps assure that you will maximize the value of your policy. (Going out of network can not only cost more out of pocket, it can increase claims paid by the INS. company. In-Network providers have agreed to a discounted price in most cases that the out-of-network provider can not be held to.)

Take Advantage of Low-Cost Worksite Screening Programs. Subscribers to the State Health Plan can take advantage of this service – a $200 value that costs just $15. It can help identify and prevent many conditions, enabling you to avoid higher health care costs, as well as reduce the expense of annual physicals.

Manage Stress. Stress directly or indirectly contributes to the six leading causes of death in the United States, and aggravates many other conditions. Managing stress – whether you get more exercise, take deep breaths, or cut back on coffee – can make your life easier and your health costs lower.

Stay Active. By getting some form of regular exercise – even just walking 30 minutes a day, three days a week – you can cut the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. That translates to fewer trips to the hospital and greater savings on insurance.

Stop Smoking. In 1998, direct medical expenditures attributed to smoking were $855 million in South Carolina. Beyond that, the lifetime medical costs for smokers are nearly one-third higher than those for non-smokers. So kicking the habit won’t just save your life – it will save you money, too.

Use the ER for Emergencies Only. Whenever someone goes to the emergency room for non-emergency care, we all pay the price. At least half of all emergency room visits are not necessary, wasting up to $7 billion annually and causing increases in premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. Don’t ever hesitate to go to the ER if it’s a true emergency. But if it’s not, check with your doctor first. (If you can't get to your doctor, Urgent Care Facilities or a "Doc in the Box" will also cost less than an ER.)

Manage Chronic Diseases. Conditions such as obesity, diabetes, asthma and coronary artery disease account for more than $100 billion in health care expenses every year. Most can be managed – and some even prevented – with earlier diagnosis, weight management and lifestyle changes.

Lose Weight. Studies show that obesity costs companies $12.7 billion per year, the largest share of which – $7.7 billion – was in the form of higher insurance costs, and is associated with 63 million additional doctor’s visits annually. It adds $395 a year to your health care costs, more than problem drinking, smoking and aging. A balanced diet reduces the potential of a wide range of illnesses, too, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

[ChattanoogaTiger 0]

I avoid doctors like the plague unless I have a freaking kidney stone or some other emergency.

Doctors have a vested interesst in keeping you coming back. Their favorite to do is medicate you so you will have to come back for periodic checkups and lab work. Doctors as a whole are a very unhealthy bunch, due to stress and other factors so why do some put such faith in a doctor to heal you when he can't keep himself/herself healthy for the most part?

If you are overweight and otherwise active and healthy, your odds of avoiding many diseases are better than someone who is a "normal" weight but gets little or no exercise. The deal is that most overweight people aren't active much at all.

The two most unnecessary surgeries are often back and abdominal area related. An honest doctor will tell you that many of these ailments will get better with time and rest. Others will rush to "cure" you and pad their pockets and cover the overhead for all that expensive machinery. Any surgery has all kinds of possible long term disadvantages from scar tissue, etc.

144607[/snapback]

It was a nice day in Chattanoog. Just got in from working outside with a chain saw (we had a bad ice storm last weekend). Thought I would comment on this thread

I think you helped me make my case for prevention rather than intervention. With periodic checkups and screening lab data many illnesses are prevented or treated before there are complications.

Your argument about unhealthy doctors is faulty in that you made the mistake of "hasty generalization" ( learned that way back in the 70s in philosophy class at Auburn). To transfer the characteristics of a physician that you know to all doctors is in error

I agree that surgery has risks. All of medicine is about risk benefit ratios ( see my previous argument about NSAID's)

[ChattanoogaTiger 0]

Here are some tips people can use to help keep insurance costs down.  I teach these things everyday to employers and their employees.

Use Generic Prescription Drugs When Possible. Generic drugs save consumers an estimated $8 million to $10 million a year at retail pharmacies. While they may be less expensive, FDA-approved generic equivalents can be just as effective as brand names – at about one-third of the cost.

Know Your Doctor and Pharmacist. A good relationship and better communication with your health care providers can have a major impact on costs. A trip to the doctor’s office is more than $300 cheaper than a typical ER visit, and preventing errors due to a breakdown in communication can save $15 billion annually. Similarly, if your pharmacist is familiar with you and your condition, he or she can help you make better-informed decisions about using less-expensive generic drugs.

Know Your Policy. Using network or participating providers can reduce out-of-pocket expenses, and understanding what’s covered – before you receive services – helps assure that you will maximize the value of your policy. (Going out of network can not only cost more out of pocket, it can increase claims paid by the INS. company.  In-Network providers have agreed to a discounted price in most cases that the out-of-network provider can not be held to.)

Take Advantage of Low-Cost Worksite Screening Programs. Subscribers to the State Health Plan can take advantage of this service – a $200 value that costs just $15. It can help identify and prevent many conditions, enabling you to avoid higher health care costs, as well as reduce the expense of annual physicals.

Manage Stress. Stress directly or indirectly contributes to the six leading causes of death in the United States, and aggravates many other conditions. Managing stress – whether you get more exercise, take deep breaths, or cut back on coffee – can make your life easier and your health costs lower.

Stay Active. By getting some form of regular exercise – even just walking 30 minutes a day, three days a week – you can cut the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. That translates to fewer trips to the hospital and greater savings on insurance.

Stop Smoking. In 1998, direct medical expenditures attributed to smoking were $855 million in South Carolina. Beyond that, the lifetime medical costs for smokers are nearly one-third higher than those for non-smokers. So kicking the habit won’t just save your life – it will save you money, too.

Use the ER for Emergencies Only. Whenever someone goes to the emergency room for non-emergency care, we all pay the price. At least half of all emergency room visits are not necessary, wasting up to $7 billion annually and causing increases in premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. Don’t ever hesitate to go to the ER if it’s a true emergency. But if it’s not, check with your doctor first. (If you can't get to your doctor, Urgent Care Facilities or a "Doc in the Box" will also cost less than an ER.)

Manage Chronic Diseases. Conditions such as obesity, diabetes, asthma and coronary artery disease account for more than $100 billion in health care expenses every year. Most can be managed – and some even prevented – with earlier diagnosis, weight management and lifestyle changes.

Lose Weight. Studies show that obesity costs companies $12.7 billion per year, the largest share of which – $7.7 billion – was in the form of higher insurance costs, and is associated with 63 million additional doctor’s visits annually. It adds $395 a year to your health care costs, more than problem drinking, smoking and aging. A balanced diet reduces the potential of a wide range of illnesses, too, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

144622[/snapback]

This gets my vote as the best post of the thread! Excellent advice

[tiger88 934]

I am so far from an expert on doctors health. But I do know that I have read several stories and seen specials on the discovery channel and such that stated the statistics about how doctors are one of the "sickest" professions. I agree that what I said was poorly worded after rereading it.

Chattanooga when you say periodic checkups are you talking about a yearly physical or something more frequent. I'm guessing age has something to do with the frequency

[ChattanoogaTiger 0]

I am so far from an expert on doctors health. But I do know that I have read several stories and seen specials on the discovery channel and such that stated the statistics about how doctors are one of the "sickest" professions. I agree that what I said was poorly worded after rereading it.

Chattanooga when you say periodic checkups are you talking about a yearly physical or something more frequent. I'm guessing age has something to do with the frequency

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Yes age and or chronic illness plays a huge factor in the frequency of periodic checkups. I treat children with respiratory disease such as asthma. With routine evaluations, the proper maintenance medications and following a plan at home for flareups, they lead a normal life and avoid expensive emergency room visits and hospitalizations. I generally see them every 3-6 months depending on the severity of their asthma. As one ages screening for disease while it is still treatable is very important. This is not an all inclusive list but common treatable problems are: diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, etc.

I can't comment on the frequency of routine exams for adults as I treat only children. It would certainly depend on familyand personal history.

Hope I didn't offend you earlier. I just like to have friendly arguments sometimes

[tiger88 934]

When someones questions something I say the first thing I do is read what they say then go reread what I said. You were absolutely right. What I said was a gross generalization that was poorly worded. No offense taken.

I love a good debate too.

[Auburn85 432]

That's real good advice.

The sad thing is, is that some drug makers are using a loophole to prevent a generic to be made.

And I've heard many people say that obesity is an epidemic

Heck, like it's the black plague or something.

Some insurance companies are finally waking up on the stomach stapling surgery. On some , if you were just 50 lbs overweight you could be covered to have the surgery performed on you, but now some are looking to it as a last resort. Some insurance companies are asking for the patient to exercise or change their habits.

It is sad that so many people are without health insurance.

But some, like drug addicts take advantage. If they od and they're without insurance, they know they won't be turned away. So they feel comfortable living a destructive lifestyle.

Yet, people with insurance pay the price for something WE cannot control.

[Grumps 3,704]

I avoid doctors like the plague unless I have a freaking kidney stone or some other emergency.

I think it is good that you do not go to see a doctor or ER needlessly, but as ChattanoogaTiger points out, prevention is the answer. If you don't see a doctor until after your heart attack, you waited too late. To a very large extent they are preventable, but if you never saw your doc or had your cholesterol checked/treated, then you chose to increase your risk of having a heart attack.

Doctors have a vested interesst in keeping you coming back.

Believe it not, Tiger88, some docs feel that they do have a vested interest in their patients. They actually want them to be healthy.

Their favorite to do is medicate you so you will have to come back for periodic checkups and lab work.

You are very naive about how physicians practice medicine. Do you really think that docs get paid more if they give you medicines???? Do you think they like to give you something that could be harmful?? So many patients don't take care of themselves (causing high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) and then won't take medicine which could control their medical problems. Then they blame their docs when they have a heart attack or stroke.

Doctors as a whole are a very unhealthy bunch, due to stress and other factors so why do some put such faith in a doctor to heal you when he can't keep himself/herself healthy for the most part?

Some doctors are unhealthy and almost all are under a lot of stress. In my opinion, a doc who doesn't feel some stress about his/her patients' well-being probably does not care enough. When you do what they do let's see how you handle it.

If you are overweight and otherwise active and healthy, your odds of avoiding many diseases are better than someone who is a "normal" weight but gets little or no exercise. The deal is that most overweight people aren't active much at all.

Finally we agree on something.

The two most unnecessary surgeries are often back and abdominal area related. An honest doctor will tell you that many of these ailments will get better with time and rest. Others will rush to "cure" you and pad their pockets and cover the overhead for all that expensive machinery. Any surgery has all kinds of possible long term disadvantages from scar tissue, etc.

Please re-read this. Your argument is getting silly now. I'm glad for you that you are healthy. I hope you remain so. If I were you I sure wouldn't want to be treated by any of the docs that you seem to know so well.