Doctor's Start Turning Away Medicare Patient's

www.msnbc.msn.com...

www.thetakeaway.org...

In just six months, millions of baby boomers are expected to to enroll in Medicare at a time when the number of doctors refusing to take new Medicare patients is at an all-time high. In New York State alone, about 1,100 doctors have left the system. The American Medical Association blames low government payment rates for the sudden change. A 21 percent automatic cut in payments to doctors went into effect on Friday after Congress failed to pass a bill giving doctors a temporary reprieve


I may not be a baby boomer but i am unfortunatly on medicare because of alot of medical issue's i have.This issue sadden's me to the core.I see a doctor at least 3 time's a month or need testing done once a month to keep my health issue's under control and what will i do when this is all gone for me?I will not sit around and die because they are refusing treatment of patient's like myself and my husband.My father has worked over 45 year's of his life and is ready to retire next year.Yet for the past 5 year's he has been without any form of health insurance because his place of employment refuse's to provide it.My father has begun to get sick the past 6 month's and his doctor whom is only seeing him now based on him recieving benefit's from the Hospital affiliated with the medical group think's his sickness is related to the work he is doing.Now when he retire's next year he wont be able to recieve the medical benefit's he so much deserve's to get because of this crap.
This is just not right to take away from those of us who seriously need these benefit's or we could die.Im sorry if i am rambling on but this is just irritating me to no end.
What is your take on this issue ATS?

I worked for a few Dr.'s that quit medicare a long time ago.

While I am no longer there, the reason they cut them out, in the past was that it would take up to a year for them to get reimbursed, and if they had a code for something not quite right, they didn't get paid at all, and it would also take up to a year for them to know something wasn't coded right.

Believe me, it's complicated.........the book that medicare has for codes, weighs a ton, and it takes a specialist just to code diagnosis, and proceedures correctly.

If they don't get paid in a timely fashion, how do they manage to pay a salary to a coding and billing expert?

I feel sorry for patients, but I will say no Dr. wants to work for free, when they have bills that need to be paid, too!

reply to post by Blanca Rose


They should make it simpler for everyone involved.So the Doc's get paid in a timely fashion and there arent so many codes and such to make it so complicated.

Originally posted by KrillsAngelWings

They should make it simpler for everyone involved.So the Doc's get paid in a timely fashion and there arent so many codes and such to make it so complicated.

Hear that government? Just make it simpler.

I'm sure the government will get right on that. Make a few committees. Get a dozen lawyers or so on board. Many a new stack of forms.

The only thing the government does that is simple is take what it wants from you. If you want anything at all from it get ready for hours of phone calls, reams of paperwork and months of waiting and re-filing followed by several more months of waiting.

reply to post by KrillsAngelWings


Start? Disingenuous. They've been turning away medicare patients for decades. i really resent this kind of politicizing and dumbing down.

Doctors have a right to earn a living, and they have a right to determine the value of their services. They did not surrender their rights when becoming doctors, and it is certainly not doctors that are removing health care services from Medicare patients. The choices may become more limited due to government ineptitude and arrogance, but to blame doctors for this is outrageous.

Consider these statistics:

The Median Salary by Job

People with Doctor of Medicine (MD) Degrees

Family physician/doctor earns, on average, less than $150,000

Pediatrician/General earns, on average, just a little over $100,000

A physician/doctor/internist, earns just under $150,000

A general surgeon earns roughly $225,000

and a dentist earns roughly $125,000

www.payscale.com...

Now, compare that with salaries of members of Congress:

The current 2010 salary for rank and file members of The House of Representatives is $174,000

Congressional leadership salaries are:

Senate Leadership
Majority Party Leader - $193,400
Minority Party Leader - $193,400

House Leadership
Speaker of the House - $223,500
Majority Leader - $193,400
Minority Leader - $193,400

usgovinfo.about.com...

So, while Congress is demanding that doctors take a pay cut so the tax dollars spent to ensure Medicare and Medicaid are "fiscally responsible", Congress continues to vote itself a pay raise.

Consider salaries for past Congressional members:

From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1855, when they were paid $3,000 per year.

usgovinfo.about.com...

Originally posted by KrillsAngelWings


They should make it simpler for everyone involved.So the Doc's get paid in a timely fashion and there arent so many codes and such to make it so complicated.

Here is the way it's going to go down. You will see, in the future, Dr.'s that are set up to take medicare patients, only.

They won't be experienced, or the cream of the crop, but people on medicare will have a short list, of whom they can see that accepts that type of insurance.

It will be like visiting a VA hospital.

Do I like it? No, but that is the only way that medicare is going to be able to survive.

reply to post by Blanca Rose


Actually, if we are to have such socialized programs as Medicare and Medicaid, what you just suggested isn't such a bad idea. It is expensive to get into a good medical school, let alone medical school at all, and perhaps there could be a government scholarship program that pays for this education while in return, after graduation, these doctors, dentists, and surgeons fulfill a certain amount of time practicing under a Medicare/Medicaid type program.

I am personally against such types of programs, but they exist, and your idea offers a palatable compromise, even if compromise is a bitter solution.

reply to post by KrillsAngelWings


I know all about this and it is ridculous! Why should it matter what insurance people have? I spent 2 years looking for a DR. This is insurance discrimnation and should not be allowed.
If a DR can't take anymore pateints that is fine but basing upon what insurance a person has is total BS!

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

I know it will never happen it is just wishful thinking on my part and im sure other's involved in the situation



A woman can dream right?

reply to post by dreamseeker


Why should it matter what insurance people have?

Exactly!! No service's rendered by doctor's and hospital's should be punishable if it is found to have been done as a discrimination against the kind of medical insurance the person has.

Originally posted by KrillsAngelWings
reply to post by dreamseeker

 

Why should it matter what insurance people have?

Exactly!! No service's rendered by doctor's and hospital's should be punishable if it is found to have been done as a discrimination against the kind of medical insurance the person has.

Doctors don't take every kind of insurance out there to begin with. So by default, based upon your statement, they are already discriminating. Each practice has to negotiate with each carrier (that they do honor) the amount which they will be reimbursed. It's get fairly hairy from what I've seen of it.

reply to post by bluegrassconspirator


Once again an overcomplication of the system weeds people out. I believe the make the system complex so they can ration services. This what it seems like to me rationing.
It is sick how our system works.