Episode #5
Medical Matters Podcast--Costs of Healthcare
In this episode of Medical Matters Podcast, Dr. Peter Brier and Nurse Practitioner Kelly McCormick discuss the ongoing costs of healthcare. Topics include the expenses, but also the business aspects: free-standing hospitals and practices began to be bought up under the belief that costs would come down. There is also the inflationary aspect, with pressure on healthcare providers to raise their prices in order to get better reimbursement from insurance companies. There is also the issue of monopolies. A recent story in the Washington Post describes how hospitals under such collectives are driving up costs. Dr. McCormick also relates her own recent experiences. The subject also shifts to the potential for national, single-payer healthcare, with some examples of residents traveling to the US from Canada or other nations. Older residents appear to travel here more for specialized care.
