INTRODUCING DR DAVE AND HEALTH CARE CO-OPS
Just recently, my professor booked an in-class interview with one of the most interesting characters I’ve met in a while. His name is Dr. Dave. He’s a man that has implemented a system of health care reform that may very well remedy America’s health care crisis. His proposal?… “Dismantle health insurance altogether,” and set up Healthcare Co-ops!
David Ores, MD, also known as “Dr. Dave” is a physician but far from your average doctor. As if the pressure of caring for sick patients with physical ailments and life-threatening diseases is not enough, this man has voluntarily upped the ante. Without reservation, Ores rolls up his sleeves, to get right down to business and there you will find…yet another set of sleeves—tats from the wrist-up—revealing a man of unconventional premise.
As a graduate of Columbia Medical School, Ores has got the brains to back his ideas–a very good thing since his goals are ambitious. He has applied a Robin Hood-esque structure to the uninsured sector of the restaurant-working population in New York City. What does this mean, you ask? Essentially, your health care coverage is free. Your employer is paying the cost for you.
As a non-profit organization, he believes tax payers’ money should cover the expense of individual health care for all, demonstrating a strategy that can be applied to any industry or sector in need of reform. Ores charges his clients: restaurant owners with businesses throughout various zip codes in Manhattan, prices starting at only $50/a month.
Providing health care services from treating acute, small illnesses to larger worse diseases that may exist—Dr. Dave never turns down a patient in need of medical attention. “I’m screening patients in all actuality. My stance is, good, come in all the time.” In allowing people the flexibility of coming in to see him as often as they like, he hopes any signs of larger issues can be addressed with proper medical care.
I personally think he’s onto something…
Actually, I’ve heard that if the so-called “public option” fails to become part of any proposed health care bill that several members of congress have been discussing co-ops instead. It’s sometimes difficult to hear sensible proposals among the shouting matches but there are actually a few people involved in the decision-making that are making sense.
This is news to me! After learning about it first hand through Dr.Dave’s lecture, it appears to be a sensible alternative to Obama’s healrth care bill which let’s face it, doesn’t look like it will pass.
Here’s one article about this: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/58275-sen-reid-endorses-co-ops
I think the idea is great in theory. I want to be a doctor to help people and not profit off of their illness but does his plan say anything about how we are supposed to pay off the $200,000 debt from medical school? I agree some of the salaries especially specialists are out of control but I’m assuming a non profit organization funded by tax payers would reduce all compensation for physicians. Just from talking to my class mates its obvious that those at the top of the class are fighting for residencies in Derm and radiology because it is the best pay and hours and we all know it’s not realistic to think you will pay off your debt anytime soon in family medicine. So I would worry that Dr. Dave’s plan would discourage a lot of intelligent people from pursuing a career in medicine.
I definitely see where you are coming from, but perhaps it was the way I phrased this blog. I wrote it really late at night and had little sleep, so I’ll have to make some edits. But, Dr. Dave is still making money…I’m sure not the same as specialists in the specialized field of course–ie heart surgeon, oncologist, etc. But, the party that suffers in this paradigm are insurance companies. Not the doctors and certainly not the patients. When I said ‘profiting off of the sick’, I mean insurance companies in particular. What do you think about the idea of this form of health care?
A downturn to this that I failed to mention also, is that this form of health care does not cover emergencies or hospital bills….it’s geared towards your average individual who needs those annual check-ups or even prescription medication for occasional illnesses. But, doesn’t cover emergencies–broken leg, or life threatening diseases such as cancer.
I totally agree with the problem with the insurance industry and I think I even knew that is what you were referring to. I feel like school has made me jaded and it might be nice to hear a lecture from Dr. Dave, it seems like all we hear about is things like NPs, PAs and other professions lobbying in congress to take over physicians roles.
I also completely agree with the idea of refocusing health care on preventative medicine. The current fee for service method leads to unnecessary tests and preventable hospitalizations.