Originally posted by toneart
I have received good medical treatment in both The United States and in Mexico. Generally, Mexican doctors give you whatever time you need and seem to
be more compassionate. They aren't jaded or time-restricted like those in the U.S., who have to follow insurance company mandates. While I often feel
rushed, I watch carefully. I keep my questions to a minimum because the doctor usually anticipates those that are necessary. I try to not be a pain in
the neck, but if not satisfied, I will prolong the visit.
A US Doctor does not see you according to insurance company mandates, what really happens is that he decides whether he accpets managed care contracts
like HMO's or some modification and he they has to see a certain number of people in any given day to make ends meet. If he is not contracted in that
manner and is able to take a mixture of PPO, HMO, Medicare, and other funded patients he may be able to make a little more on each visit but has to
hope that enough people are sick or needing attention each day that he meets his quota in order to pay all his assistants, office costs, other
overhead, insurance, etc., This also explains why so many Doctors have moved to being a specialist, so that their reimbursement rates are a lot
higher.
When you and I were young, a doctor only had to see around 12 patients a day to make ends meet but now the number is much higher than that and
usually number 35-50 per day.
In Mexico, the reinbursement runs a little differently and they take a contract with different users of the system like, say ISSTA, and then have
private people who come in but the private people pretty much pay the whole bill for the visit or treatment, so of course, they are able so spend more
time with you, since you are paying directly for the services rendered. The other difference is that you can not sue if you are maltreated so they do
not have to buy the overpriced malpractice insurance that everyone in the US has to subscribe to.
So, again, it is very difficult to compare the two systems without having in depth knowledge about what goes on beneath your level of awareness.
The other difference that friends who have been Mexican Doctors their entire lives report is an amazing amount of difference in the diagnostic
capabilities that are available in the US versus what is available in Mexico. I do not know of a good CT SCAN facility in the Baja side, but even
small towns in the US have that available. There is not a lithitrope machine available in the state of Baja whereas almost all medium sized towns in
the US have them available. Computer controlled hip and knee replacement in most major cities in the US, not even available in Mexico City. I could
go on and on, but I think you get the point.
Originally posted by toneart
I have received good medical treatment in both The United States and in Mexico. Generally, Mexican doctors give you whatever time you need and seem to
be more compassionate. They aren't jaded or time-restricted like those in the U.S., who have to follow insurance company mandates. While I often feel
rushed, I watch carefully. I keep my questions to a minimum because the doctor usually anticipates those that are necessary. I try to not be a pain in
the neck, but if not satisfied, I will prolong the visit.
A US Doctor does not see you according to insurance company mandates, what really happens is that he decides whether he accpets managed care contracts
like HMO's or some modification and he they has to see a certain number of people in any given day to make ends meet. If he is not contracted in that
manner and is able to take a mixture of PPO, HMO, Medicare, and other funded patients he may be able to make a little more on each visit but has to
hope that enough people are sick or needing attention each day that he meets his quota in order to pay all his assistants, office costs, other
overhead, insurance, etc., This also explains why so many Doctors have moved to being a specialist, so that their reimbursement rates are a lot
higher.
When you and I were young, a doctor only had to see around 12 patients a day to make ends meet but now the number is much higher than that and
usually number 35-50 per day.
In Mexico, the reinbursement runs a little differently and they take a contract with different users of the system like, say ISSTA, and then have
private people who come in but the private people pretty much pay the whole bill for the visit or treatment, so of course, they are able so spend more
time with you, since you are paying directly for the services rendered. The other difference is that you can not sue if you are maltreated so they do
not have to buy the overpriced malpractice insurance that everyone in the US has to subscribe to.
So, again, it is very difficult to compare the two systems without having in depth knowledge about what goes on beneath your level of awareness.
The other difference that friends who have been Mexican Doctors their entire lives report is an amazing amount of difference in the diagnostic
capabilities that are available in the US versus what is available in Mexico. I do not know of a good CT SCAN facility in the Baja side, but even
small towns in the US have that available. There is not a lithitrope machine available in the state of Baja whereas almost all medium sized towns in
the US have them available. Computer controlled hip and knee replacement in most major cities in the US, not even available in Mexico City. I could
go on and on, but I think you get the point.
I don't find much to disagree with in this post. With such highly charged political emotion within this topic, especially given the historic Senate
debate that is to continue as of tonight, I appreciate your objectivity. Facts and experience can stand apart from political philosophy, but it is not
easy.
Originally posted by toneart
I have received good medical treatment in both The United States and in Mexico. Generally, Mexican doctors give you whatever time you need and seem to
be more compassionate. They aren't jaded or time-restricted like those in the U.S., who have to follow insurance company mandates. While I often feel
rushed, I watch carefully. I keep my questions to a minimum because the doctor usually anticipates those that are necessary. I try to not be a pain in
the neck, but if not satisfied, I will prolong the visit.
A US Doctor does not see you according to insurance company mandates, what really happens is that he decides whether he accpets managed care contracts
like HMO's or some modification and he they has to see a certain number of people in any given day to make ends meet. If he is not contracted in that
manner and is able to take a mixture of PPO, HMO, Medicare, and other funded patients he may be able to make a little more on each visit but has to
hope that enough people are sick or needing attention each day that he meets his quota in order to pay all his assistants, office costs, other
overhead, insurance, etc., This also explains why so many Doctors have moved to being a specialist, so that their reimbursement rates are a lot
higher.
When you and I were young, a doctor only had to see around 12 patients a day to make ends meet but now the number is much higher than that and
usually number 35-50 per day.
In Mexico, the reinbursement runs a little differently and they take a contract with different users of the system like, say ISSTA, and then have
private people who come in but the private people pretty much pay the whole bill for the visit or treatment, so of course, they are able so spend more
time with you, since you are paying directly for the services rendered. The other difference is that you can not sue if you are maltreated so they do
not have to buy the overpriced malpractice insurance that everyone in the US has to subscribe to.
So, again, it is very difficult to compare the two systems without having in depth knowledge about what goes on beneath your level of awareness.
The other difference that friends who have been Mexican Doctors their entire lives report is an amazing amount of difference in the diagnostic
capabilities that are available in the US versus what is available in Mexico. I do not know of a good CT SCAN facility in the Baja side, but even
small towns in the US have that available. There is not a lithitrope machine available in the state of Baja whereas almost all medium sized towns in
the US have them available. Computer controlled hip and knee replacement in most major cities in the US, not even available in Mexico City. I could
go on and on, but I think you get the point.
I don't find much to disagree with in this post. With such highly charged political emotion within this topic, especially given the historic Senate
debate that is to continue as of tonight, I appreciate your objectivity. Facts and experience can stand apart from political philosophy, but it is not
easy.
Must agree that "facts" are essential in any true debate and/or discussion... it would appear some of our elected folks just have a hard time with
telling it that way...
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
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