Posted on 11/24/2012 8:49:23 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Obama won, Obamacare is the law, and, as my wife says, I will just have to learn to dance to a new song.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Obamacare is awful. Forget all the “free stuff” it provides. Children covered on their parents’ plan until 26 years of age? A scam, making young adults — excuse me, children — pay for complete, comprehensive health insurance when all they need and should pay for is major catastrophe insurance. Then there is the “annual ” or “preventative” exam, which according to Obamacare is “free.”
You gotta love this stuff. I wish I had the chutzpah of the people who wrote Obamacare. What they did not tell you, and I am, is that it covers absolutely nothing more than the bare minimum.
I have now posted a notice in my office and each exam room stating exactly what Obamacare will cover for those yearly visits. Remember Obama promised this as a free exam — no co-pay, no deductible, no charge. That’s fine and dandy if you are healthy and have no complaints. However, we are obligated by law to code specifically for the reason of the visit. An annual exam is one specific code; you can not mix this with another code, say, for rectal bleeding. This annual visit covers the exam and “discussion about the status of previously diagnosed stable conditions.” That’s the exact wording under that code — insurance will not cover any new ailment under that code.
If you are here for that annual exam, you will not be covered if you want to discuss any new ailment or unstable condition. I cannot bait and switch to another code — that’s illegal. We, the physicians, are audited all the time and can lose our license for insurance fraud.
You, the patient, will then have to make a decision.
Do you want your “free” yearly exam, or do you want to pay for a visit which is coded for a particular, new problem? You can have my “free” exam if you only discuss what Obamacare wants me to discuss.
This happened to me personally, as a patient, when I went for my physical. It is the law. If you are complaining of a new problem, then you have to reschedule, since Obamacare is very clear as to what is covered and what is not. Obamacare — intentionally — makes it as difficult to be seen and taken care of as possible.
Patients can be very tricky. I have had patients make an “annual” exam, only to want to discuss and be treated for another ailment. I can’t do it.
I can hear the complaints from you guys already — I become the bad guy. “Why don’t you just take care of the problem, and not bill out any different code? You’re a rich doctor, and we are entitled to free stuff.”
It doesn’t work that way. First, doctors are not rich and, like most of you, actually work terribly hard for a living. Second, Obamacare is the law — and as I said earlier, we are audited all the time now.
Also — I don’t ask for free gas when I go to the gas station, or ask for free food from the supermarket. Additionally, Obamacare has a 23% cut in Medicare reimbursement to doctors and hospitals.
These lower payments won’t cover the cost of staying in practice to take care of the patient.
Private doctors are becoming a thing of the past. By 2014, less than 25% of physicians will be in private medicine. Obama was right in stating you can keep your doctor if you want to — the problem is he or she will rarely be available.
On top of all of that, doctors will be obligated — that’s right, obligated — to talk to you about things you may have no interest or need to talk about.
You may just want to have a pap smear or check your cholesterol. However, I am now mandated by the government to talk to you about your weight, exercise, family life, smoking, sexual abuse(!), and even to ask if you wear seat belts. And I am mandated to record your answers.
I am a physician. But I need to tell you to wear a seat belt and then record your answer.
I have received interesting responses from my patients since I put up the notice. Almost all are supportive and totally understand. The very few who complain? The same patients who always ask for free samples, who always complain that we do not validate parking. These are also the same patients who call my office and ask for free samples even when they are not even being seen.
Obamacare and its 2,000-plus pages are here to stay. I will still give my patients 100% of my time, energy, and knowledge. I still love being a doctor — my patients’ doctor. I will, however, abide by the law and follow it to the letter. I will have to learn this new dance. “Free” has its price.
In the meantime... if you’re sick with something new, then book a dual visit back to back. Hippocratic oath, what’s that? Barack says forget it.
Obamacare is not as smart as the Blues.
Has anyone visited that lady who on the news said she voted for obama and is still waiting for her free plastic surgery.
I wonder what she has to say now.
Nobody will care.
One of my Dad’s doctors, had a check list for patients to answer and sign along with a disclaimer cover page apologizing for the questions noting that it was required by law, and encouraging all complaints to be directed toward legislators. I can’t recall what was on the list though.
The questions may have been required by law, but sworn answers could not have been. There should have been a way for the doctor to get an attestation to the patient’s refusal to answer the questions.
The last two new doctors I have seen, the firearms question was on the medical questionaire and I checked off yes then added a comment (many).
These forms are standard in every doctor's office now and should not reflect on the doctor's personal views of firearms.
I'm sure you are but does that come from personal experience with your interaction with young doctors or is this just a general statement from what you may read in the MSM?
As I've stated previously, all the doctors I know (4 in my family and countless others I know and have met thru my family members) are scared to death at what Obamacare is going to do to them and their profession.
The majority of the doctors in this country who actually support socialized medicine are foreign imports from countries such as India where socialized medicine is the norm.
You can go directly here to email, fax or call your Senators and/or Representatives:
U. S. House of Representatives
Toll free capital switchboard numbers are:
800-965-4701
The American Academy of Pediatrics “recommends” this — and then pre-prints the annual exam form your pediatrician most likely uses, which this question on it.
About those Advantage plans. Please be sure to use proper codes to cover blood tests. Example the HA1C or VitaminD if you do not code it on the order with a diagnosis pertaining to that test we have to have patient sign a waiver form informing them of the costs they might have to pay. Irritates the hell out of them.
In 2007 I was a Representative to the National meeting for Family Practice physicians. I tried to warn them about just what it was they were asking for. I was the ONLY voice for sanity in the room. Afterwards one or two came up to me and thanked me for speaking up. After the microphones were off. Trust me, almost to a man (or woman) most in the room thought healthcare should be a right.
And I told mine it was none of his danged business. If the Feds what to know if I own firearms, tell them to look it up in their Big Brother files.
That would be the American Academy of Family Physicians, I'm sure it's just a slip up on your part.......
So, how many people were in attendance at your "meeting"? Were you a guest speaker?
That would be the American Academy of Family Physicians, I'm sure it's just a slip up on your part.......
So, how many people were in attendance at your "meeting"? Were you a guest speaker?
And as a post script, where exactly was this "meeting" that you attended?
The American Association of Pediatrics policy is that physicians “incorporate questions about the availability of firearms in the patient history”.
http://pediatrics.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2012/1121/2
And, of course, such records are freely available to government.
Bottom line: you cannot trust your doctor under ObamaCare.
Yes. AAFP. Kansas City. There was a “last meeting of the day and week” on The Future, as I recall. 200 or so in the room.
The AMA speaks for a small minority of physicians and is held in contempt by most of us. But you knew that already, because you obviously know all about physicians and their motivation. All the good docs I know are currently planning their exit strategies. There may be a day in the near future when despite you self made preventive care program you will find yourself in a life threatening excruciatingly painful condition. You will probably want a doc around then-even a whiney one would probably do. Good luck with that. You may be able to see a PA with 2 years training compared to my 7 years. But even they may be scarce
The AMA speaks for a small minority of physicians and is held in contempt by most of us. But you knew that already, because you obviously know all about physicians and their motivation. All the good docs I know are currently planning their exit strategies. There may be a day in the near future when despite you self made preventive care program you will find yourself in a life threatening excruciatingly painful condition. You will probably want a doc around then-even a whiney one would probably do. Good luck with that. You may be able to see a PA with 2 years training compared to my 7 years. But even they may be scarce
Depends on a number of factors. For example if you are over 65 and/or vote Republican then the code would be "MA" Mission Accomplished"...
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