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The Leonard Lopate Show / September 14, 2007 / Please Explain: HMOs

Please Explain: HMOs

Friday, September 14, 2007

More than half of all Americans who have health insurance belong to health maintenance organizations, more commonly called HMOs. On today's Please Explain, Professor Michael Sparer of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health will answer your questions about the history of HMOs, how they work, how plans differ from one another, and more.

Call us at 212-433-WNYC or post your questions and comments here.

Weigh in: Do you belong to an HMO? Are you satisfied with the health care you receive?


Comments

  • [1] chestine from NY September 14, 2007 - 01:27PM

    HMOs are a joke - they are like babysitting - with their "guidelines," they take the practice of medicine out of the hands of physicians. For example, my doctor friends tell me markers indicating heart disease have nothing to do with cholesterol - they are c-reactive protein and homocysteine. Tell me why HMOs/insurance do not cover this lab work?


  • [2] Michael D. Robinson from Park Slope September 14, 2007 - 01:49PM

    I studied with Uwe Reinhart at Princeton in the 1970s. One thing I understand is that medical care is not a "normal good" as an economist would define it. Medical services are not demanded by the patient, but often by the doctor, who has no incentive to economize. It is the doctors who often in effect select heroic measures for dying, elderly patients, who then get a bill for $100,000.
  • [3] Michael D. Robinson from Park Slope September 14, 2007 - 01:51PM

    Second point, we often fail to gather the low-hanging fruit. If the government would provide insurance for catestrophic medical occurances, that would immediately solve 85% of the problem for people who lack insurance.

    It's a lot cheaper than true universal coverage.
  • [4] darla from tribeca September 14, 2007 - 01:52PM

    I have a good policy now- I pay myself-$330/month- oxford Liberty it is a catastrophic plan- I pay a $30 co-pay and everything is covered except that there is a deductibe of $2000 if I need surgery and it caps at $4000- am I amking sense...anyway- it's pretty good and with $30 co-pay, I will not go all the time..but I a m afraid with universal coverage, I will be waiting in long lines - I pay and I get something or it. Whys shouldn't everyone who can pay for it? should it be free? It willnot be free anyway---why not pay for a better plan/ And I am not rich - I make under $70,000/year and it is worth it to me to pay...
  • [5] Lonnie from Brooklyn September 14, 2007 - 01:53PM

    I work in a Pediatrics Office.

    All the HMO's are requiring the MD to document that the patient has been notified and educated about the perils of smoking-- every year, once a year.

    I often tell the smoking teenagers is that the result is that in the future, when they need a lung transplant, because medical records are becoming digital and permanent, they WILL NOT pay for any invasive care for them (ie-- lung transplant, or expensive cancer therapy) if the Insurance company pulls up the SIGNED note from EVERY MD in your life who told you NOT to smoke.

    Is this a Real possibility?
  • [6] Scotty Watson from Weehawken New Jersey September 14, 2007 - 01:56PM

    I recently immigrated from Toronto Canada. I play Sam Walton in Walmartopia at the Minetta Lane.

    The Canadian system works! I miss my doctor.

    Scotty Watson

    201 472 9850
  • [7] Scotty Watson from Weehawken New Jersey September 14, 2007 - 01:59PM

    as an addendum... Canadian Doctors drive BMWs. They make LOTS o' money... and hey, they deserve it! They do good work.

    The vast majority of waste in the U.S. system is in the middle man... ie. the insurance companies.

    Scotty Watson

    Newly arrived from Canada

    aka Sam Walton in Walmartopia!

This thread is closed.


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