We’re asking people in the health care industry in Bakersfield to tell us what’s going on in their practices, and how they would reform health care to solve their problems. Here is the first in our series on “The Health Care Reform Debate At Home.”

John Gundzik

John Gundzik is a physician at Kern Radiology Medical Group. He pointed to a trend of doctors purchasing their own scanning machines, and then ordering more scans, because they can be money-makers in the pay-for-procedure system. That’s a financial conflict of interest, according to the American College of Radiology, and one made possible by a loophole Gundzik would like to see closed. (He referred to a Washington Post article on the subject.)

He also supports “Computerized Physician Order Entry,” a system that would help doctors determine which scans are needed, based on symptoms. That would help control costs by discouraging unnecessary scans, and it’s preferable to benefit management companies making those decisions. But he’s also worried about some cost control measures, specifically one that targets radiologists. The House bill would cut the Medicare reimbursement rate for radiological services.

Gundzik follows Rep. Kevin McCarthy on Facebook and echoes many of the congressman’s points.

“I do not support the ‘public option’ which would eventually lead to a government takeover of the medical industry and subsequent lower quality physicians, lower quality care, long waits, and rationing,” Gundzik wrote. “I support private insurance reform with increased competition among insurers and a transformation of the medical insurance industry to something similar to the automotive insurance industry with more consumer choice. I support more consumer responsibility for the purchase and payment of medical insurance and direct noncatastrophic medical costs.”

But he also pointed to problems in the system in a comment to McCarthy’s Facebook page:

“My company’s current health care premiums are $1 million/yr for our 180 employees and continue to rise at a rate of 10-30% per year. At the same time insurance reimbursements for our medical imaging procedures have decreased by the same rate. This has resulted in layoffs and company wide salary decreases.”

How would you reform the corner of health care in which you work? Contribute to our Virtual Roundtable.