I am horrified.

Doctors in upscale practices build niche in Triangle

I read the headline and my jaw dropped.  I read the article itself and my mild discomfort grew into consternation and outrage.

Why are they doing this?  Why now, when roughly 1 in 4 Americans do not have health insurance?  Why now, when the aging baby boomers (read: the target market of MDVIPs) are beginning to drag the rest of us taxpayers down anyway?  Why now, when a friend of mine cannot get the care she needs to manage her (and her children's) health when she and her husband both lost their jobs and cannot get unemployment benefits because she is on a social security stipend that is too pitiful to live on?

Yes, by all means, doctors, alienate your most needful patients.  Refuse to treat those who cannot pay $500 a visit.  Do what all the drug companies and insurance companies are doing, and make it more difficult for the average American citizen to access your corrupt but desperately needed services (what are we, Uganda?).  After all, it was their fault.  If they hadn't caused the economy to crack and fall with their crazy spending and lending, then they wouldn't be in this pickle anyway.  You go ahead.  Because as more and more of you convert to your very posh and profitable MDVIP practices, there will be fewer and fewer afforable doctors.  And there is no guarantee that those will all be skilled or honest doctors.

This reminds me of the situation in [insert impoverished Third World country here].  Not enough doctors, too many poor patients, and what skilled practitioners there are usually beat it out of whatever hellhole they're living in to seek profit elsewhere.  Maybe we should ask WHO to airlift some Indian doctors in.  It's becoming clear that we need them.