If only it was working for free. At current rates, the doc will actually pay to see the average medicare patient. Even before the 21% cut medicare reimbursement did not pay for the cost of the care.
I have a friend who works in a doctor’s office who offered doctor visits to those with Medicare for a discounted cash rate which many took instead of being reimbursed. Even with the heavily discounted rate the doctor charged in cash it was still more cost-effective for him to give the care to these folks that way than to file the paperwork, pay his administrative assistant to file the paperwork, and then wait for medicare reimbursement. Now, if Obamacare ends up like Canada’s system there will be no way for doctors to discount their services for cash...