Big Health Meeting in Roanoke Tues at 7 pm
I saw my glaucoma doctor early this morning, and the news was excellent. He'd done a laser procedure in both eyes just before we left for Maine, and today's verdict was...(drum roll!)...a pressure of 10 in each eye. I have low-tension G, so he's been trying to get the pressure below 16.
He told me about a meeting planned for tomorrow night (Tuesday, 9/9/08) at the Ramada Inn in Roanoke, at 7 pm. I knew he and a group of specialists have been trying to bring to the public's awareness the fact that Carilion charges MORE for medical procedures than is currently charged in northern Virginia, Richmond, anywhere else in Virginia. And Carilion is supposed to be a not-for-profit medical facility.
Dr. Cotter told me the Wall Street Journal ran a huge article on their front page on August 28th. I couldn't get it online (WSJ wants $100 for an online subscription!) so I called our local library and they very nicely made a copy of the article so I could drop by and pick it up to read at home. I wanted to leave the actual WSJ there in case others wanted to read the piece.
It is shocking to me; seems the Roanoke Times' health reporter was suddenly reassigned after he'd been writing about this controversy. Apparently, phone calls are being made from Carilion execs asking folks to stay away from the meeting on Tuesday.
I understand even the TV news folks have kept this very low-key. After all, Carilion is a major employer in the area, and of course they advertise a great deal, which media folks depend upon.
OK, please let people know, particularly if they live in Roanoke. The article mentioned a charge of $4,727 for a colonoscopy, four to 10 times what a local endoscopy center charges for the procedure. Carilion bills $1,606 for a neck CT scan, compared with the $675 charged by a local imaging center. Yet they are tax-exempt as a nonprofit entity.
That's my rant today. We need to pay attention to this situation, and if attending the meeting is impossible, letters to the Roanoke Times Editor should help bring these huge charges into the light.
===========================================================================
I no sooner wrote this blog than I was reminded that there are indeed two sides to this story, that it is a complicated issue, and that there WILL be more information out there concerning Carillion's intent. Let's watch, read and above all, pay attention.
He told me about a meeting planned for tomorrow night (Tuesday, 9/9/08) at the Ramada Inn in Roanoke, at 7 pm. I knew he and a group of specialists have been trying to bring to the public's awareness the fact that Carilion charges MORE for medical procedures than is currently charged in northern Virginia, Richmond, anywhere else in Virginia. And Carilion is supposed to be a not-for-profit medical facility.
Dr. Cotter told me the Wall Street Journal ran a huge article on their front page on August 28th. I couldn't get it online (WSJ wants $100 for an online subscription!) so I called our local library and they very nicely made a copy of the article so I could drop by and pick it up to read at home. I wanted to leave the actual WSJ there in case others wanted to read the piece.
It is shocking to me; seems the Roanoke Times' health reporter was suddenly reassigned after he'd been writing about this controversy. Apparently, phone calls are being made from Carilion execs asking folks to stay away from the meeting on Tuesday.
I understand even the TV news folks have kept this very low-key. After all, Carilion is a major employer in the area, and of course they advertise a great deal, which media folks depend upon.
OK, please let people know, particularly if they live in Roanoke. The article mentioned a charge of $4,727 for a colonoscopy, four to 10 times what a local endoscopy center charges for the procedure. Carilion bills $1,606 for a neck CT scan, compared with the $675 charged by a local imaging center. Yet they are tax-exempt as a nonprofit entity.
That's my rant today. We need to pay attention to this situation, and if attending the meeting is impossible, letters to the Roanoke Times Editor should help bring these huge charges into the light.
===========================================================================
I no sooner wrote this blog than I was reminded that there are indeed two sides to this story, that it is a complicated issue, and that there WILL be more information out there concerning Carillion's intent. Let's watch, read and above all, pay attention.
posted by Marion | 3:41 PM
8 Comments:
Unfortunately, I understand that Carilion recently bought the imaging center that charged less. I think on the same day the WSJ article came out, perhaps.
I added a line to my Blog as this is indeed a complicated issue. We DO need to pay attention!
I can't wait to see what will come of this...
Marion,
There is an article in today's Roanoke Times about the meeting: http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/176166 and Sarah Jones, our Health Reporter is scheduled to attend it. I'm not sure what health reporter you are referrring to, that was reassigned. Sarah is our specific health reporter. Jeff Sturgeon is our health business reporter and still at that post. People move around in the newsroom all the time, covering different beats.Our food editor used to be something else and our county editor used to be city and so on. But I'm really glad to see the inquiry into what the paper covers and gladder still that we are indeed covering this issue.
Marion,
I found another great article by Jenny Boone: http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/175010
This one is about the article in the WSJ.
Quoting the WSJ: "The local newspaper, The Roanoke Times, covered the controversy in a series of articles written by its health-care reporter, Jeff Sturgeon.
"A few months later, in March 2007, the Roanoke Times moved Mr. Sturgeon off the health-care beat after Carilion complained repeatedly about his coverage. Carilion says it communicated its displeasure to the paper's editors, but never asked that Mr. turgeon be reassigned. Carilion withdrew most of its advertising from the paper, but says it did that as a reallocation of its ad budget. 'Any friction that exists between an organization like us and the media is entirely appropriate,' Mr. Earnhart says.
"Mr. Sturgeon, who now covers transportation, declined requests for comment."
ME: There have been some excellent comments now appearing in the RT, including an OpEd piece addressing the hundreds of court cases involving Carilion and patients unable to pay their bills. With 400 attending last night's meeting, and the RT giving it significant coverage, it appears a bright light may now be shining on this situation.
You can't believe everything you read in the WSJ. Who'd a thunk it?
Both CountryDew and Blue Ridge Muse have written about the Wall Street Journal's article on Carillion. I hope they feel the pressure and make some needed changes. For profit medicine seems like a contradiction to me.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home