On Second Thought

OK, I confess that I have a heart for senior citizens and can't lop off the Medicare folks (this doesn't refer to the Medicare Advantage Plan folks who aren't in the non-pay group) without a fight.  We have $32,770 of billings to regular Medicare not paid since October 1, 2012.  That sort of gets my attention as the owner of the practice (1.6 Family Physicians and part time- half to one day weekly- Family Nurse Practitioner).

We do have to back off on scheduling any "routine" (not a Family Practice term) Medicare patients in March until we get some reassurance about payment.

Since we take "Families Only", we are blessed with a distribution of ages that keeps the practice distributed across a multi-generational spectrum of ages.  From birth to 100 years old, we have fun caring for and learning from, our patients.

And, we practice across our whole license- not just "at the top of our license to practice" which would bore me.  A well child exam is as important as anything I do, as is the management of the care of my patients in hospice situations at their home.  Rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, heartburn, worry, chest pain, headache, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, warts, urinary infections, diabetes, low blood glucose, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, wheezing, swollen leg, rashes, sore tongue, dry eyes, ringing in the ears and so forth are exciting since they are part of my patient's experience.  Bring on the well, sick or injured.  We are ready.

Also- you know who you are-Remember to practice your didgeridoo daily to strengthen the throat muscles and give up the snoring- all you didgeridoo hullabaloo fans.  The next Hullabaloo training session is Saturday March 9 at 8:15 AM at the BellHOP Cafe in Bellbrook, OH

Onward

End Stage Medicare Frustration

We haven't received any pay for Medicare services since October 1, 2012.  We're only able to sustain the practice for 3 or 4 more weeks, then will make drastic cuts in services to government insured patients (100%) and try to survive by replacing those patients.

We will replace them with Direct Family Medicine Patients- families without outpatient insurance who join our subscription practice.  This uses a Direct Primary Care business model (see www.dpcare.org), is NOT INSURANCE, and requires no hassles with insurance companies or the Federal government.

We haven't paid our local taxes, due this month, yet.  We paid the mortgage on the practice building late.  We are late on a few other payments.  Things are tight for us, folks.  I am sad to hit this point in the 13 year life of our practice which serves about 3,000 patients.  BUT, here we are, having depended on third party payers who have continually squeezed and squeezed, we feel sad and somewhat betrayed.

But, also we're blessed to have had wonderful relationships with thousands of patients over the years.  Family Physicians get touched by the hearts of their patients and generally feel good about the human condition.

One day at a time.

Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), Behcet's Syndrome and Rare Disease Day

The Dr Synonymous Show 2/12/2013

After introduction and disclaimer, Dr Synonymous (aka, Dr Jonas) comments on recent events with the death of his father in law.  Emmert Leroy Michael 1922-2013

Next he discusses a rare disease: Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP).  He follows information about it through the IFOP web site/ Facebook site, IFOP  then to NHGRI -National Human Genome Research Institute, NORD -- Rare Diseases and OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man) with in depth comments from those sites.

He notes a feature about Behcet's Syndrome  More info on Behcet's  on the NHGRI site before speaking of National Rare Disease Day, February 28th.  He then reviews Patient and Health Care  Blogs including Dr Fat to Fit Dr Fat, Final Trick Click Here  and Medical Mojave .  Dr Kenny Lin writes about recent medical studies about Calcium Supplements on Common Sense Family Doctor.

Remember National Rare Disease Day. RDD/

Didgeridoo Hullabaloo Part Two 2/9 at the BellHOP 8:15 AM

Yes!

More didgeridoo training and practice with coffee and breakfast if you prefer (and pay for it) are part of the fun during or after the Didgeridoo Hullabaloo Part Two.

Click here to review the report of the DH launch w/photos of happy droners with their didges.  Didgeridoo Hullabaloo Successful Launch

I will broadcast the DH on Blog Talk Radio on my special Dr Synonymous Show live from the BellHOP Cafe starting shortly after 8 AM.  Listen on BTR if you can't be there for the fun.

See you Saturday.