When Patient Calls at Year's End - WSJ

The end of the year brings a flurry of activity to the doctor's office.

Retailers have the Friday-after-Thanksgiving sales rush. My office has a rush of patients struggling with the dysfunctional health-care system.

We're trying to help everyone before the new year rolls around, when deductibles are reset, new plans are chosen and the prices go up....

To improve medical care in this country we need to close the gaps in coverage so that private insurance and the public don't have to play shell games to cover the basics liking having a baby and treating chronic diseases like asthma and kidney failure...