Solutions

Case Study of Rhode Island

Within Medicine and Health Rhode Island, Alicia Monroe wrote about physicians within the state who have helped patients unable to afford insurance or the physician’s services. Monroe did not uncover how these physicians are being paid for this service, but referred to the national trends of adjusting charges and creating payment plans. Those physicians that are making these adjustments to their private practice are predominantly family physicians. They feel the need to reach out to new uninsured patients, as well as established patients who may lose their insurance during their time as a patient. Through reduced fee services they can keep their patient population up. According to one of these family physicians; “We did not want to hinder the relationship that was already formed because of lack of insurance.”(Monroe 2004) Not only have they been able to provide their own care but they have also worked with laboratories who agreed to offer discounted services. Why have they worked so hard to find ways to help these under and uninsured patients? Dr. Manoj Garg makes a point that is important to understand; “Patients can concentrate on their care, and not worry about cost.” Stress involving financial situations can easily aggravate a patient’s already poor health. Not only have the physicians of Rhode Island reached out to their patient population to keep them involved with healthcare, according to Monroe they have done so without grant subsidies or a financial net loss of the private practices.