The New York Times writer Robert Pear has written an article entitled, "Doctors press Senate to Undo Medicare Cuts."
It begs the question...
Can you really reduce payments to your doctor by 10% and still expect the same quality of care?
I believe you can.
But no one should be surprised when physicians will stop accepting medicare as a form of payment and ask nicely for cash (it's already happening folks).
Regardless of your thoughts on this particular situation, it makes for a very interesting read. You get a sense of the bedlam occurring in Washington regarding healthcare policy.
Doctors, insurance agents, congressmen (who are always up for reelection) and senators all at each others throats over legislation which decides where YOUR tax dollars should go.
To your doctor or to insurance companies? That is the question...
2 comments:
Well here's a hornets nest for you.
IF the Senate does not revisit this bill blocking this series of cuts in Medicare payments to doctors (which over the next 9 years will total nearly 40%), the government may find it's Medicare physician roster dwindling--an act that follows right behind it's little brother Medicaid. Patients will suffer, and doctors will seek other forms of reimbursement.
OR patients can opt to switch to the Medicare Advantage program, where insurance companies get 12% more in subsidies (that's like 15 cents per dollar of premiums) than Medicare to spend on great stuff like advertisements, executive kick backs and golf outings.
SO the government plans to keep managed care companies well supplied with the Moolah by cutting the good doctor's pay. SHAME! And Bush has threatened to veto the bill that the AMA and other organizations are begging the Senate to rethink, which would reverse these cuts and instead give physicians a 1.1% increase in pay. But that money has to come from some where... you guessed it! Medicare Advantage would have to be cut, and Bushy boy and his Republican troglodytes are not havin' it. Business and medicine, what a beautiful mess.
BUT here's the kicker, my friend. This is an election year, and both John McCain and Barack Obama are in a position to tear down Medicare Advantage. With McCain being an old war hawk, you can bet your bottom dollar that he would slash the HMO in favor of the conventional plan, as Medicare is the veteran's life line. And the Democrats have already delivered a bill to the Senate (to no avail) that would prevent the Medicare pay cut, so you know where Barack stands.
AND only time will tell, Dr EN. This is a hot issue to watch. We can look forward to a lot of flip-floppin', veto threatenin', organizations protestin', and two-bit dosey do-in'. So, go put on your s**t kickers, because it's definitely going to get deep.
-LS
http://www.sangambayard-c-m.com
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