Cutting Back on Health

By Doug Geed

   Maybe it's skipping a restaurant meal. Maybe it's digging through your tape and dvd collection to find an old movie instead of going out to a see a new one. Or maybe it's turning your upcoming summer vacation into a long weekend instead of a week's stay.

   Long Islanders are doing everything they can to save a few dollars in this recession.

For some, unfortunately, it's by sacrificing medical care. "Luxury" items -- cosmetic surgery, teeth-whitening -- there's been a slowdown in them for quite some time according to doctors and dentists. But even routine check-ups and doctor's visits are being put on hold. Instead of going in for that 6-month or 1-year check-up, you put it off for a few more months -- and then again -- hoping times will get a little better.

   The danger, of course, is that you could be ignoring a potential health problem that may be very expensive to treat -- when it could have been much cheaper to prevent.

  But it's hard to find fault with people doing this. If they've lost their job and/or their health insurance, you can see why they'd choose this option. Even people WITH insurance still have to make co-payments -- which can be as little as 5 or 10 bucks for a doctor's visit up to 50 bucks. Then there's blood-work, other lab work or prescriptions. A routine visit can end up costing a hundred bucks or more -- a lot of money these days.

   Doctors are coming up with payment plans or even in some cases providing their care for free. One doctor in Nassau told me a patient he's had for 10 years just lost his job. "How can I just stop treating him when he needs me now more than ever?"

   There are also discount plans you could look into where prices are pre-set -- 20 bucks for a cleaning, 130 for a filling.

    It's an area where no one wants to skimp -- their health. But until the economic health of our country gets back on track, it may be something you'll see more of.

Comments

[John]

Maybe we'll see some actual change in the medical industry, then, away from a system that artificially inflates prices (AMA licensing limits the number of doctors), relies on pharmaceutical companies (who clearly have no interest in making people healthy) to suggest treatments, and believes that the presence of insurance companies warrants such behavior.

That's nothing against individual doctors, who are just as trapped in the system as we are. While I feel for people who need but can't afford treatment, I hope that this sets off the needed changes (instead of simply making insurance companies bigger).