Low-cost doctor told to increase fees

[Sanslines]

Posted on Thu, Mar. 12, 2009



Low-cost doctor told to increase fees


ASSOCIATED PRESS


NEW YORK - A New York City doctor whose low-cost health care plan angered state officials has agreed to increase his fees.

The state Insurance Department told Dr. John Muney last month to end the $79-a-month medical service at his AMG Medical Group clinics in all five boroughs. Department spokesman Andy Mais said Muney was violating state law by basically operating as an insurance operator without a license.

The monthly fee buys unlimited office visits, including certain tests and in-office surgeries.

Muney will charge $33 per visit for all but preventive care, which Mais says brings him in compliance. Muney's spokesman says he'll challenge the restrictions through legislation.

Muney, a former surgeon, started offering the $79-a-month plan in 2008.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090312_Low-cost_doctor_told_to_increase_fees.html?text=reg&c=y


Score another win for the insurance industry that blocks providing low cost medical care -thereby protecting their sacred money making cash cow.<!-- endclickprintinclude -->

[Lord Drakkus]

So, in other words, his fees are now $79 a month plus a $33 copay for all but preventive care... Can somebody tell me how this is any less like running his own insurance company? Because it seems more like regular old insurance to me the new way.

[Bob S.]

No Drakkus. The $79 per month payment was determined to be illegal so he dropped it. He now charges $33 per visit excepting preventive care. Assuming the $33 covers the tests as well, the patients now have two visits per month until they lose money on the deal.

I personally don't see any problem with a doctor charging a monthly fee for unlimited care.

Bob S.

[Naturist Mark]

So does NY also prohibit legal service plans?

This really sounds like illegal restraint of trade, and I'd suggest that the New York State Attorney General Cuomo investigate ... ummm ... New York State ...

[blackrebel]

Another reason why businesses don't want to do business in NY state.

[Naturist Mark]

Another reason why businesses don't want to do business in NY state.

Au contraire, this is NY state protecting business from competition. Not only are some businesses too big to be allowed to fail, some are too profitable to be allowed to have competition. Big businesses (like health care insurers) HATE free markets.

[Sanslines]

Au contraire, this is NY state protecting business from competition. Not only are some businesses too big to be allowed to fail, some are too profitable to be allowed to have competition. Big businesses (like health care insurers) HATE free markets.

Now why on earth would New York State want to investigate a very profitable business whose profits can be heavily taxed? They will never do such a thing anymore then they will investigate corruption within the state lottery system.

[NudeTopher]

Another reason why businesses don't want to do business in NY state.

Hmmmmm. I'd say that we have more of a business community here in NYS that in most other states. We have one of the weathiest and sophisticated markets in the nation. Businesses are always trying to come here to get a part of the pie.

With regard to this doctor operating a limited scale insurance company; it does not speak about the business climate one way or the other. Insurance companies are regulated here and that is to the benefit of the consumer.

[Sanslines]

Hmmmmm. I'd say that we have more of a business community here in NYS that in most other states. We have one of the weathiest and sophisticated markets in the nation. Businesses are always trying to come here to get a part of the pie.


What you are saying is specific to the downstate area. Upstate is the exact opposite as business continues to shed jobs, close, and young, skilled people leave the state. Been to Syracuse, Rochester, or Buffalo lately?

Downstaters are obviously able and willing to pay the highest combined state taxes in the nation. Upstaters are unable to do so.

[NudeTopher]

What you are saying is specific to the downstate area. Upstate is the exact opposite as business continues to shed jobs, close, and young, skilled people leave the state. Been to Syracuse, Rochester, or Buffalo lately?

Downstaters are obviously able and willing to pay the highest combined state taxes in the nation. Upstaters are unable to do so.

Actually, I have been in Buffalo more then just a few times. My cousin got his MD at Buffalo and I'd visit him somewhat frequently. While the university is a huge employer, I wonder why the residents have not pushed for more business incubators to be affliliated with the schools. It's a pretty common practice elsewhere to enable the (business and geographic) communities to profit from the location of major educational centers.

What have Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse done to attract business? I really have no clue. I know the county that I live in (Suffolk) has become increasingly more agressive in offering tax abatements, and a host of other things in order to attract/retain business - just so there isn't that loss of which you speak. I wonder what the residents of Western New York have done to help themselves.

Because Western New York, and some other regions, require so much more in taxes then they are able to provide Nassau and Suffolk Counties send millions more to Albany every year then we get back. For just that reason, not getting our money's worth, that a Republican politician has once again suggested that Long Island suceeds from New York and forms our own state. Of course that will never happen. New York State would never give up it's cash cow.

[Sanslines]

Actually, I have been in Buffalo more then just a few times. My cousin got his MD at Buffalo and I'd visit him somewhat frequently. While the university is a huge employer, I wonder why the residents have not pushed for more business incubators to be affliliated with the schools. It's a pretty common practice elsewhere to enable the (business and geographic) communities to profit from the location of major educational centers.

What have Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse done to attract business? I really have no clue. I know the county that I live in (Suffolk) has become increasingly more agressive in offering tax abatements, and a host of other things in order to attract/retain business - just so there isn't that loss of which you speak. I wonder what the residents of Western New York have done to help themselves.

Because Western New York, and some other regions, require so much more in taxes then they are able to provide Nassau and Suffolk Counties send millions more to Albany every year then we get back. For just that reason, not getting our money's worth, that a Republican politician has once again suggested that Long Island suceeds from New York and forms our own state. Of course that will never happen. New York State would never give up it's cash cow.

Buffalo is a well know and respected school - especially their medical schools. The city of Buffalo (and surrounding area) is a disaster as there are so many ancient industrial and manufacturing plants that were closed and abandoned many years ago. Buffalo continues to lose population and sadly is very much a dying city. (The population peaked in 1950 at about 580,000 people and the 2008 estimate is about 276,000 people).

You asked the question "what have Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse done to attract business?" What they actually have done is to scare business away. New York State is a very anti business state as it punishes business with exhorbitant taxes, rules, and regulations. If you take a look at Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, you would find that the large industries have either closed or are a shell of their former selves. Buffalo lost most steel and chemical manufacturing facilities, Rochester lost most of Kodak and Bausch and Lomb, and Syracuse lost most (if not all) of General Electric and Carrier. In most cases, the only jobs that became available are minimum wage service type jobs.

I know that Nassau ans Suffolk counties are very different in that business continues to grow in spite of the state tax and regulation climate. This is the enigma that exists within New York State - downstate business can afford to survive and thrive and upstate business can not. One thing that should also be remembered is that at one time Grumman was an enormous employer on Long Island. Due to a variety of reasons (including enormous utility costs) Grumman virtually shut down. The large employers on Long Island, such as Grumman, were eventually replaced by smaller businesses. This has not occured upstate and it appears that it may very well be too late for that.

Given the duration of the upstate depresssion it sadly appears that it really is too late for any kind of major recovery. Once the jobs leave, the supporting employers and services leave (such as bowling alleys or gyms etc) and then the skilled young people leave for there is nothing for them to do outside of limitied work.