Doctors And Patients Both Victimized By Hmos?

One associate professor from a very prestigious university was shocked upon receiving a letter which stated that he will be removed from the provider network of a US health care firm. This huge HMO from the east coast did not give him any reason for making him leave, but this doctor knew well enough that it had something to do with his public denigration about HMOs. He had disputed that this particular HMO along with other for profit HMOs clearly put their clients? lives at risk by gratifying physicians for not granting their patients their desired care and even forcing these people to sign the fixed gag clauses in the standard contract of this HMO.

The contract is very particular in making sure that the doctor will not pursue any action or communication that will turn away any potential or current enrollees, their superiors, their company union groups or the extent of the coverage and that all these things must be kept in paramount confidentiality. In other words, a doctor can easily be terminated upon saying some things to his patient that an HMO won?t approve of.

In the current culture of health service, where their only concern is to maximize earnings, these HMOs tailor fit these policies to keep doctors from letting their patients know the truth on their treatment options, prognoses and diagnoses. Because they silence these doctors, the following horrendous scenarios could become real.

In the mammogram results of a 49-year-old woman, a mysterious shadow appears. the negative finding troubled the woman's doctor and so, he would want to order another test to make sure that the result was just because of a machine error, as to disregard the cancer- positive result. The problem is that the HMO won't pay for it. Advising the patient to pay for a second mammogram herself could be a sign of criticism against the quality of care her HMO provides. So the doctor minimizes the findings and advises his patient to come back in six months for another check up. Unfortunately, the six months could be very dangerous for the woman if she really has breast cancer.

An action should be made to a 60-year-old man to lessen an obstruction caused an enlarged prostate. His surgeon would like to consider using a new laser technique that produces less blood loss, pain and risk of infection or impotence. The truth is that the HMO of the patient will only be used for invasive operation that holds many more consequences. Spilling the new discovery in surgery and suggesting an appeal for the HMO usage of a surgeon to his patient could be the reason of his termination from work.

A woman who is 35 years old was reported to be suffering from extreme depression. Since the doctor wanted the best for the patient, he wanted to prescribe her something that has very little side effects and without risk of death from an overdose. However, an agreement entered by the HMO calls for the pushing of a medicine with high death rates due to overdose as well as tons of side effects. The doctor would prescribed his patient to buy the better brand by her own. But sadly, he signed a contract that won't allow him to say a word. If patients then are clearly informed about the health care, they could possibly build a better decisions on this.

Although the rapid advancements in medical knowledge is available, many consumers, even the smartest ones still depend on their doctors due to its complexity. Health care fates of the patients could fail if the physicians will not be honest with their patients. Patients in this situation would be considered foolish if they were to believe everything their doctors are telling them.

California's nurses association and consumer watchdogs team up for a ballot initiative that would end these unjust gag orders. With the help of public education, legislation and aid of professional organizations, many patients under HMO rule can now get the consultation from doctors they need. Other doctors must learn to be like this bold man who spoke against the unfair laws of HMOs even if it means getting sacked like him. After crossing out the gag clause in his contract, he sent it back to the health care company.

Gag stipulations found in HMO contracts cancel out what the Hippocratic Oath stands for, that physicians must never cause harm on another and that he must work to his capability and judgment to ensure the patient?s health. It is simply abhorrent how many doctors who swore to the Hippocratic Oath break it by getting into another one that jeopardizes their patients? well-being

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