When my grandfather died, my mother had to block my dad from the front door because the goddamn billing department called LITERALLY 3 HOURS AFTER HE FUCKING DIED to know who would be taking care of the bill. He was ready to walk into their billing office and start swinging. So was I, but as a teenager there wasn't much I could do without transportation...

Yeah, getting a straight answer from the billing department even for providers is super frustrating. A lot of it is because hospital networks and private insurance companies have secretive reimbursement contracts that they don't want providers or patients to have access too.

Thanks, I do my best! I'm lucky enough to work at a children's hospital, so that helps in the morale department.

America is the one who invented tipping culture.

And absolutely don't sleep on the fact that tipping was implemented as a way to not pay former slaves working in restaurants.

Always amused me (not in the funny way) how hard some people fight for literal slave wages

Eh..... Yes and no. The capital side of medicine wouldn't be spending the big bucks to influence the media and politicians if it didn't work.

the politicians simply represent the people who voted for them.

If only…

You would be surprised how frequently healthcare providers do this. We are more aware of the outrageous expense of healthcare than just about anyone, and most of us know exactly why.

When the United CEO got shot it was a bizarre day. There were senior pediatric physicians making jokes during work meanings about a dude getting gunned down and everyone was pretty jolly about it regardless of political leanings.

Definitely on the higher end of medicine, but I'm still not sure if it's really going to be a higher pay off than someone with an MBA. You still have nearly 20 years of school, residency, and fellowship before you start making any money.

There are only around 7500 cosmetic surgeons practicing in the US, compare that to almost half a million investment bankers...... I'm pretty sure you're going to have an easier time pulling in a million a year in banking than in surgery.

... cosmetic surgeons are still medical doctors, so they have the same insane schooling/residency requirements as everyone else. Plus, they have a purpose in a hospital in helping to plan surgeries to reduce the appearance of scars. It's not just vanity, my dude.

Chiropractor, though, that's a "medical" field that has no actual resemblance to medicine or the massive debt burden therein. Plus, they're a joke to begin with. Much better punchline.

doesnt that still require you to become an MD, and the cost and competitiveness to become one is still there.

Can't have capital and nice things.

You have chosen to make being unpleasant the defining feature of what passes for a personality

I pity you.

I'm aware, but it takes a lot of effort to immigrate, and executive function goes brrrrr

I have European citizenship, but I really like the idea of Canada (where I might be eligible for citizenship due to having a Canadian ancestor).

Guys, hear me out: singing telegram.

This varies a lot by specialty but many doctors would like to see less patients and would be open to be paid less to do so, so that they can take more time on each case.

There was a time (boomer era) where doctors owned practices and had meaningful leverage in the system. Now all of those practices have been bought out by private equity. Most doctors are employees and if they band together in any way the hospital administration has tools to stamp it out because this is America.

I've worked at several instiutions in the US where either doctors or nurses sought to unionize and through that effort institute safer patient care practices. The hospital administration stamped it out in every case. Even just the optics is challenging because if you make the suggestion of a strike they will run to the media and insinuate you're betraying your oath and putting patients in danger. Many people are guilted out of participating.

There are somewhat successful unions in the country but if you're in a region where there isn't one, having a grassroots one succeed is very difficult.

Perhaps the most influential and lucrative specialties (neurosurgery, interventional cardiology, orthopedics) could move the needle if they didn't have to spend all their time working but everyone else who isn't an MBA administrator has unfortunately become a replacable cog in the system. This is the nature of American capitalism. It enshittifies everything.

They really don't, though. Doctors' pay is just as stagnant as everyone else's.