On Friday, Andru Ziwasimon of To The Teeth posted some simple arithmetic demonstrating the economics of his no-health-insurance clinic in Albuquerque. Ziwasimon doesn't take insurance, but charges about $25 per visit and treatment and $10 or so for lab supplies used. By cutting out malpractice coverage, using donated medical equipment, and charging cost for the supplies, Ziwasimon appears to be making ends meet. He also moonlights as an emergency room Doctor on the weekend--because, of course, medical school loans have to be paid. Ziwasimon also details some community struggles with the local public hospital.
The local publication, The Alibi, featured Ziwasimon's clinic in a December article by Tim McGivern, who wrote a followup the next week:
Since our piece on Dr. Andru Ziwasimon, Alma Olivas and Sylvia Ledesma appeared last week, I've received a steady flow of emails and phone calls from people wanting to learn more about the South Valley health clinic these folks founded in September. Although all other organizations mentioned in our “Heroes of 2004” feature included contact info, the number for Just Healthcare was conspicuously absent. . . . Who new that I'd receive calls from people with an eye infection, toe inflammation or colic-stricken baby wanting to make an appointment?The story further illuminates the point already touched upon in the article—that our American health care system is irrational and incompetent when it comes to offering primary care to the people that need it the most. We'll try to follow-up on the clinic's work in the next few months or more info. . . .Meanwhile, I felt sorry as hell listening to a crying baby in the background, as a young woman asked me if I could help her get an appointment.Looking forward to reading more about the clinic as it grows. In the meantime there's an interesting discussion over at Matthew Yglesias's blog, based on his slightly fuzzy ruminations about the potential affect of importing a large quantity of Indian doctors. Tweaking Supply and Demand only works as long as Doctors aren't prescribing as much care as their patients can pay for.
