Some Answers to Questions About Physicians’ Assistants

I hate to drone on further about a subject that isn’t fascinating to begin with but I got some information today about physicians’ assistants. It answered some of my questions and if anyone out there shares my concerns, it may answer yours too.

A friend of mine is a medical malpractice attorney. She has worked to defend a number of doctors and insurance companies and has been on the opposite side of many insurance companies as well. She tells me there was legislation passed allowing PA’s to assume the roles they have in doctors’ offices. She didn’t have the details of the legal action(s) at her fingertips and I still say these things slip by us the majority of the time because by the time we hear about it, it’s done.

She said that because doctors are paid so little by the HMO’s and so many people are insured by HMO’s, doctors have been forced to take on larger numbers of patients to make the money they need or want to make and that’s how the PA’s came into the picture. It’s all driven by the HMO’s. That was her conclusion.

So, in fairness, I can see the doctors were forced into a corner of sorts. I have an HMO and I would love to blame them and all insurance companies for taking our money and often not giving back fairly. But, I guess, in reality you  get what you pay for. I pay very little for insurance because of the HMO so if I don’t get top notch service, that’s why. I pay them less; they pay the doctors less. It’s easy math, a simple domino effect. 

 I feel better having a logical explanation. I can live with anything as long as it makes sense. And there may be loads of people who took the time to calmly research this earlier on and already know what I learned today. Since my favorite talk show host wasn’t one of them, I thought it was worth bringing up in yesterday’s blog.

I bruised myself just a bit when I fell off my high horse. But at least I have insurance. I wonder how long I’ll have to wait to see the PA…