Re: 3 questions to MedUnite shareholders
by: kvmiller50 11/18/00 12:34 am
Msg: 50837 of 50837
I'm a physicain. The colleques in my practice and I don't want to communicate directly with insurance companies via an entity like MedUnite. We feel more comfortable with an independent intermediary like HLTH.
Why? Its a nuts-and-bolts medical practice reason. We recognize that e-admin services will grow organically into our in office computer systems; for example e-Rx services, billing and soon EMR (electronic medical records) will be used in the exam room and be integral to our work and office computer system. If we break with the insurance carriers, those central parts, propritary to MedUnite or whom ever, of our systems could be pulled out. That would crash our system, on which we depend. I doubt that there would be another module we could seamlessly move in. In that scenario, we would be like fish on a hook to the insurance companies, unable to wiggle free of them. Insurance companies would love this, as one of their main problems is maintaing MDs whenever they go thru another "efficency" drive.
Currently, for example, my group of 4 MDs and one PhD,has dropped all insurance carriers in our area and is doing a cash business. We may sign up with carriers again at a latter date.
For this reason, as the managing partner, I have decided that it is better to go with an independent vendor like HLTH that inturn connects us to the insurers. My partners concur.
Medical Manager is currently the leading office billing and management software product that already seamlessly interacts with all payors. Acquisiton of MM was a brilliant tactical move in the overall business strategy.
With this in mind and the recent price of HLTH, the company has become the single largest equity in my retirement portfolio. I sure hope they don't screw it up.
Kurt V. Miller, MD
Fresno
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