December 2010 Patient Advocate News

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PATIENTADVOCATENEWS EDITOR’SNOTE

NOVDEC2010

News and information about patient assistance programs and other health care assistance Do not ask the name of the person who seeks a bed for the night. He who is reluctant to give his name is the one who most needs shelter. — Victor Hugo The season of giving is often a difficult one for underserved families. Not only must they endure the year-round struggle to provide food, shelter and health care for their loved ones but also many must battle colder temperatures, increased heating bills and growing children who need new winter coats and boots. For many, this season of giving is more like a season of needing; there is no money to give gifts but a greater need to receive additional assistance. And they are embarrassed to ask. Fortunately there are many nonprofit organizations that provide such families with additional assistance this time of year. And there are many individuals, including you, who continue to provide assistance year round. Thank you for your continued dedication to helping others. We hope you have a healthy and happy holiday and New Year. Vikki Sloviter - Editor

Neel Shah, MD, MPP, founder and executive director of Costs of Care, a new nonprofit aimed at helping doctors recognize the costs of their care, contacted us recently to let us know about his organizationʼs essay contest that invited medical professionals and consumers alike to describe an experience with the costs of their medical care. I was thrilled to interview Neel to learn more about this important organization (www.costsofcare.org). Vikki: When I first looked up your organization online I couldnʼt help but mentally compare you to Atul Gawande, MD, the best-selling medical author who has pulled back the sheets on how doctors practice medicine in this country (and who was one of your essay contest judges). It seems that your new nonprofit also aims to pull back the sheets on the costs of medical care. What was your “A ha!” moment that made you realize you needed to start this organization? Neel: As a medical student I had the opportunity to train at some of the leading academic medical centers in the country alongside some of the most caring and compassionate doctors you can imagine. But I noticed that even the best doctors often

neglect something critical—the bill. Medical bills are a leading cause of personal bankruptcy in our country and, as doctors, we decide what goes on the bill. The problem is that doctors rarely understand how the decisions they make impact what patients pay for care. That is what we are trying to fix. “Pulling back the sheets” on the costs of medical care is an apt metaphor for what we are aiming to do. Since weʼre living in a very multimediaand Internet-based age, your organization plans to use these technologies to advance its mission by essentially giving doctors the ability to see the exact costs (Continued on next page)


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