You're right. It completely creates a multi-tiered health care system. Those who can pay more get better care, and those who can't get worse care. But that system already exists. It's just off the record and off the books. You'll see more and more of this as the health care system worsens.
People who are wealthy have better insurance and congregate in wealthy neighborhoods. So, doctors and hospitals in that area are better funded and provide a higher quality of care. The brightest doctors compete for jobs in these areas, because they know that they will have more insured patients and get paid more over the course of their career. If you want the best doctors in a city, go to a clinic/specialist in the richest neighborhood.
Low income areas have a high concentration of low/no health insurance patients. So, the health care system in those areas tends to be underfunded and the doctors often get paid less. So, you'll see less competition for doctor jobs in those areas as well.
Everybody has access to Emergency Rooms regardless of the ability to pay, that's mandated by law. But, in low income areas, the Emergency Room generally looses money for the hospital, so it's underfunded and understaffed. In the wealthy areas, patients have insurance and can pay so the ER makes money for the hospital and is staffed accordingly.
Here in California if you have no or low insurance, good luck seeing a specialist unless it's a life or limb threatening Emergency. It's next to impossible to see an orthopedist or a dermatologist in LA unless you have great insurance or pay up front with plastic.
If you don't have health insurance, you get referred to the county health system which is generally terribly overburdened. ER's at County hospitals can routinely have a 12-24 hour waiting time. That is, if you break a leg, and go to a county ER in California, chances are, you'll sit in the waiting room for half a day before getting anything for pain.
What this guy is doing is simply calling a spade a spade, but at least he is advertising his rates, and he helps his uninsured customers know where to go for low cost services like X-Rays and Specialist referrals, and he tells them how much it's going to cost his patients.
People who are wealthy have better insurance and congregate in wealthy neighborhoods. So, doctors and hospitals in that area are better funded and provide a higher quality of care. The brightest doctors compete for jobs in these areas, because they know that they will have more insured patients and get paid more over the course of their career. If you want the best doctors in a city, go to a clinic/specialist in the richest neighborhood.
Low income areas have a high concentration of low/no health insurance patients. So, the health care system in those areas tends to be underfunded and the doctors often get paid less. So, you'll see less competition for doctor jobs in those areas as well.
Everybody has access to Emergency Rooms regardless of the ability to pay, that's mandated by law. But, in low income areas, the Emergency Room generally looses money for the hospital, so it's underfunded and understaffed. In the wealthy areas, patients have insurance and can pay so the ER makes money for the hospital and is staffed accordingly.
Here in California if you have no or low insurance, good luck seeing a specialist unless it's a life or limb threatening Emergency. It's next to impossible to see an orthopedist or a dermatologist in LA unless you have great insurance or pay up front with plastic.
If you don't have health insurance, you get referred to the county health system which is generally terribly overburdened. ER's at County hospitals can routinely have a 12-24 hour waiting time. That is, if you break a leg, and go to a county ER in California, chances are, you'll sit in the waiting room for half a day before getting anything for pain.
What this guy is doing is simply calling a spade a spade, but at least he is advertising his rates, and he helps his uninsured customers know where to go for low cost services like X-Rays and Specialist referrals, and he tells them how much it's going to cost his patients.