Pet insurance and veterinarians
I came across an interesting article regarding the cost of pet care. The article cites the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. According to the Journal, from 1980 to 2005, the cost of pet care his risen 124%! This number even adjusts for inflation. And in the past 10 years, veterinary costs have been growing at twice that of the consumer price index. EEEK!
That coupled with the trend to make pets more a part of our families, coupled with our ::cough:: troubled economy, and advancing veterinary technology has really sparked interest and acceptance of pet insurance.
How do veterinarians respond? Through the veterinarians that we work with and through research through the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, it appears that most veterinarians are on board. The majority of veterinarians understand that when pet owners have insurance they are able to make better decisions and follow the veterinarian’s recommended care.
Their biggest concern was the fear of pet insurance turning into a managed care system. They do not like the notion that pet insurance could replicate human health insurance, and start to dictate their fees. Well veterinarians, rest easy, pet insurance doesn’t have the intention to do so. The North American Pet Health Association, which was founded by reputable pet insurance companies in the US and Canada, has a mission that pet insurance will never dictate veterinary fees. You can learn more about NAPHIA through the website here.
If you have any comments from your own veterinarians (or are one yourself) I’d love to her their (your) thoughts!
