Posted on 12/19/2009 6:17:54 PM PST by blueyon
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) cut provisions from his healthcare reform bill that would have given doctors a temporary hike in their Medicare fees, a move he said was actually urged by physician lobbyists.
The version of the bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee would have given the doctors a 0.5 percent pay raise next year. Because of chronic flaws in the statutory formula used to calculate how much Medicare pays doctors, they're on the hook for a 21.5 percent pay cut next year.
But the doctors didn't want the Senate to pass a one-year fix because they want to keep up the pressure on Congress to finally fix the statutory formula that creates the unnecessary cuts in the first place, Reid told reporters. "The doctors thought that was the way to move forward," Reid said.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
"The version of the bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee would have given the doctors a 0.5 percent pay raise next year. Because of chronic flaws in the statutory formula used to calculate how much Medicare pays doctors, they're on the hook for a 21.5 percent pay cut next year."
This is one reason why “10 year deficit” projections should never be paid any attention to. The current law is that these pay cuts for doctors go through next year, but of course that will never happen.
Well if their income is reduced by 21.5%, they will lay off staff. Their next option is to refuse to see Medicare patients. (Oh, I forgot - they are already beginning to do that) Congress really believes physicians will see 30 million MORE patients for less and less money, hospitals will stay open running with more and more people crowding the ER’s and less and less money to pay staff. No one in Congress has ever run a business, it is obvious. These Obama Democrats will put the medical industry OUT of business, but hey, they have their own private doctors and Walter Reed to go to.
This is one reason why “10 year deficit” projections should never be paid any attention to. The current law is that these pay cuts for doctors go through next year, but of course that will never happen.
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Not to mention that HIGHER taxes start now, and yet the benefits, such as they are, won’t start til 2013.
OK - PAST TIME to throw these cretons and criminals out on their a$$es.
And one more thing - all those entitlement programs have historically run 6 to 8 TIMES higher than projections.
Trust the RATS NOT!!
I’m sure they will be willing ship a few examples off to “reeducation facilities” to get non-conforming doctors in line. Slaves to the political class will learn their place.
The list, ping
When Reid mentioned that it was what the doctors wanted, he lied again. The Dems and Obama have only talked with the AMA people, representing only about 17% of doctors.
In addition to laying off staff, the pay cuts for Medicare treatment will result in many doctors just retiring (as they have said they will) and fewer students choosing to pursue a medical career.
Idiots in D.C. have no sense of business. They act like they are members of the old Roman Senate and just have super powers to dictate what will and wont be for the lower classes.
Its not like Medicare pays well anyway. The only reason Medicare works is that the private insurance companies pay much more for the same procedures and thereby pick up the difference. Medicare itself does not pay enough to make it worthwhile (financially) to take care of its patients.
I already have a hard time finding a physician for my unassigned medicare patients when they leave the hospital (and I practice in a major metro area). I can only imagine what this will do for the problem. I can also see physicians/hospitals refusing to do elective procedures on medicare patients as the net cost to the hospital would be even harder to make up.
But this will fix the health care system in our country. /s
I will simply retire. I can also see it becoming a condition of licensure that the physician will accept a certain percentage of medicare patients into his/her practice. This is called forced labor, I believe.
45% of physicians will close their offices if Obamacare is passed. George Will wrote a piece recently that states only ten million people cannot afford insurance. If Tort Reform was passed that would by insurance for those ten million. The demonRATS want control, not what is good for the country!
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