Posted by: AtlasMD

February 5, 2014

A Slice Of Direct Care In New York City

A Slice Of Direct Care In New York City

NY1, a 24-hour cable-news television channel focusing on the five boroughs of New York City, aired a segment covering Dr. Muney’s direct care practice in New York City. AMG Medical Group charges $89/month for unlimited free visits — opening abscesses, laceration sutures — and even arranges for insurers to pay for services. It’s a little different than what we’re doing, but a great example of splitting the difference. That’s because Dr. Muney advocates wrap-around insurance coverage like us. One of his patients is so pleased with the service that he admits he’d be willing to pay the Obamacare tax penalty if he chose to forego his current catastrophic healthcare plan.

VIEW DR. MUNEY’S SEGMENT ON NY1 (Via Physician Tools)

Great news: AMG Medical Group operate offices in all five boroughs and Long Island. The practice has ~1,500 patients currently enrolled.

Posted by: AtlasMD

December 14, 2013

ACA Cancels New York Creatives’ Coverage

Anemona Hartocollis wrote in The New York Times, “Many in New York’s professional and cultural elite have long supported President Obama’s health care plan. But now, to their surprise, thousands of writers, opera singers, music teachers, photographers, doctors, lawyers and others are learning that their health insurance plans are being canceled and they may have to pay more to get comparable coverage, if they can find it.”

Touche. Get a lot of people to vote for something by promising universal benefits for all. Then fail to benefit not only the people you promised to help, but also the law’s supporters. This seems like solid politics.

New York developed an unusual, informal health insurance system where independent practitioners were able to get lower insurance rates through group plans. These were typically set up by their professional associations or chambers of commerce. These people were able to avoid the sky-high rates in New York’s individual insurance market, (historically among the most expensive in the country).

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Posted by: AtlasMD

July 18, 2013

Are Health Plans REALLY Going To Fall 50% in New York?

Are Health Plans REALLY Going To Fall 50% in New York?

Many outlets are reporting on a New York Times article claiming that “health plan costs for New Yorkers are set to fall 50%” as changes under the federal health care law take effect. This was announced by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday, July 17. He is quoted as saying, “New York’s health benefits exchange will offer the type of real competition that helps drive down health insurance costs for consumers and businesses.”

One problem with the article is that it actually says, “While the rates will fall over all, apples-to-apples comparisons are impossible from this year to next because all of the plans are essentially new insurance products.” This immediately got us thinking, well where did a 50% price drop come into play?

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