For the last year for which I could find statistics on a quick trip through Google, about $280 billion was spent just by Medicare for Part B. Let’s not think about private insurers or Medicaid yet. There are around 500,000 practicing physicians in the United States. If we agree that every physician should make “plenty of money” (enough to be secure and, more importantly, feel secure and feel appreciated, etc.), then, again, why not just guarantee every practicing physician that one-half million dollars per year – and no more. Incentivize the practice of medicine, if you will; disincentivize the abuse of the system. It would take no more than Medicare is paying now. Have private insurers subsidize Medicare. No more Medicaid woes. No more billing debacles. Remove doctors from the “business” side of the equation. At least, ask them how they would feel about that.

Pay doctors for BEING doctors, and not for the piecemeal practice of a cottage industry as defined by social, political, and economic systems 100 years ago.

Or else, tell me what’s wrong with this proposal.