Health Care "Skim" in MIssouri

Investment Analysis Clubs Macro Economic Trends and Risks
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{{ For more than 30 years, nurse practitioner Marcy Markes has cared for patients in intensive care units and small-town clinics across Missouri. She holds degrees from the University of Missouri and runs an allergy and asthma clinic in Columbia. Missouri has a serious health care access problem, and its residents would be better off if experienced providers like Markes were free to provide the care they are licensed to give. Instead, a state law requires nurse practitioners to contract with a physician, which by some estimates can cost an average of $7,000 per year. **The price tag for Markes to practice? $50,000 a year**.

Collaborating physicians can set their fees with no cap. There is, however, a limit on the number of CPAs a physician can participate in, which creates demand and drives up prices. This structure restricts nurse practitioners’ abilities to expand their businesses and provide care. A physician who collaborates with a maximum of six nurse practitioners could collect more than $300,000 annually just for signing paperwork. }}

https://wapo.st/4oeNWdS

It’s probably pretty cheap to buy a State Legislator in Missouri

intercst.

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About half the states – including California, Missouri and Massachusetts – require management by a physician (restricted practice states) or a “collaborative agreement” with a physician (reduced practice states).

DB2

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This canard rears it’s head again.

Full disclosure…the WaPo article was behind a paywall so I clicked on the hyperlink to see where this guff came from…

Marcy Markes v. Andrew Bailey, et al. Marcy Markes v. Andrew Bailey, et al.

The reality is that NPs and PAs are allowed to practise to the full extent their license allows/within their scope of practice…and, depending upon geography…and the under the supervision of a licensed physician (verbiage here tends to vary state by state)

The creative use of math to arrive at these figures appears to be derived from the calculators used at the law firm that’s the source of this article. I’m still at a bit of a loss to see how the numbers add up…but, since lawyers have a strong tendency to cherry pick, glom onto, and even misrepresent any evidence that comes their way that’ll help their case, maybe it’s a futile exercise to see if the figures are actually real. Don’t need to be…as long as there are a few credulous rubes on the jury, they’ll be alright.

NPs and PAs have been campaigning for years for extensions to their scope of practice, independent practice etc with some degree of success…believing, as many of them do, that they’re providing the same service as a physician but cheaper. Naturally, the “cheaper” price tag only sticks for as long as it takes them to start pushing to be paid the same rate as doctors. Spoiler alert…they already are in many regions.

Edit: …another article featuring Marcy Markes from last October..

Missouri forces nurse practitioners to pay for a formality | Kansas City Star https://share.google/i9GQhh6aPDC5yJo5x

Still implying that the sky is the limit on these CPA license fees.

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