Personal Pediatrics= House call Pediatricians

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) has signed into law a pair of bills that will permit health plans to offer wellness coverage that could include premium rebates or reductions, or reduced copayments or deductibles.... Visit http://www.aishealth.com/GNOW/100906.html#gnoweight for more information. Now this makes me laugh. In the year 2006 lawmakers have decided that its important PERMIT health plans to OFFER wellness coverage. As a practicing pediatrician in St. Louis this really is funny. We have spent the last ten years in a system that penalizes pediatricians for preventive care. Not only could we not code for "obesity" as a diagnosis and get paid for it, we would be commiting a felony offense for coding" hyperglycemia" or "hypertension" instead as this is insurance fraud. All the while business cropped up, an entire industry to assist in losing weight, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers. Pediatricians dropped the ball on preventing pediatric obesity 10 years ago. If we weren't so deeply dependent on insurers for our livelihood we never would have let that happen. For a more "pure" relationship with your pediatrician, consider contracting directly with one of our Personal Pediatrics affiliates in your neighborhood and receive the latest in cutting edge technology, therapeutics and communications from your doctor, without the concern that treatment is withheld due to "Poor Insurance Reimbursement." Would you wait around for the goverment to "Permit" your health plan to"Offer" wellness? You kid will be ten and obese for life by then!! Take a look at www.personalpediatrics.com and watch our story as it unfolds! Natalie Hodge MD St. Louis