The US citizen, healthy or sick, needs to adjust his view of his position in the healthcare industry. If the healthcare industry was viewed as ana
logous to a solar system, you, the individual, should be the center of this system. You employ the doctor and/or hospital. You employ the insurance company or the government (third party payer) to invest your premium dollars wisely and/or to negotiate a good discount for your services. The dollars you give the insurance company (or the government) come directly from your paycheck as premiums or reduced wages.
Neither insurance companies, doctors, nor hospitals have the view that the patient is the center of attention. For them, the center of this solar system is the paper page in your medical chart. However, as I have stated before, there is no process in place that allows patients to review their medical records and hold doctors accountable for the information listed in medical records before payments are made. The HIPPA, or privacy law, will let you obtain the record if there is an error. In my experience the provider or facility can “stonewall” the request so I recommend you make and HIPPA request in writing by certified mail.
We must re-align the healthcare solar system to place patients at the center. Only then can patients be actively engaged in reviewing their medical records for accuracy before charges are rendered.