Doctors for the uber-rich and more: Letters to the Editor Feb. 23, 2025
Posh doctorsThank you to The Post for highlighting the growth of concierge medicine, a dangerous trend in New York City and across the country (“It’s club med-icine,” Feb.14).Medicare was created to ensure equal access to medical care for older Americans and other covered individuals.
The roughly 25% cut in Medicare physician pay over recent years has likely encouraged many doctors to switch to concierge practices.Employees who receive commercial health insurance as part of their compensation also assume they will have reasonable access to care.Yet when doctors transition to concierge, they typically drop two-thirds or more of their patients, worsening the crisis in primary-care access.
To ensure fairness, concierge practitioners should not be allowed to participate in or bill Medicare and commercial insurance plans.Barry B.Perlman, MD, ManhattanAviation aversionThe news last week opened with the terrifying image of a plane upside down on a frozen Toronto runway (“Delta ‘flip’ crew kudos,” Feb.
20).The second story was even scarier: President Trump had fired several hundred Federal Aviation Administration workers, including more than a few aviation mechanics.As if I wasn’t already fearful of flying, now I’m scared to death.Bob Ory, Chicago, Ill.Free diabetes?Banning soda purchases from food stamps is a long-overdue, necessary step (“Feds ‘Stamp’ out soda?” Feb.15).SNAP was created to fight hunger and malnutrition among the poor, yet it has been rife with fraud and waste for decades.
Soda, energy drinks and snacks like Twinkies or Oreos should all be excluded from SNAP purchases.Sugary cereals? No.
High-end beef cuts? No.If you want prime rib or filet mignon, pay for it yourself.We often hear concerns about poor diets and obesity among SNAP recipients, yet the government continues to subsidize and encourage these unhealthy choices.Brian Finn, Stamford, Conn.Gaza disastersWith the blessing of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli P...