Doctors say Medicare cuts forcing them to shift away from elderly (Thanks to Obamacare)

The Washington Post ^ | Nov. 26, 2010 | N.C. Aizenman

[Innovative]

Want an appointment with kidney specialist Adam Weinstein of Easton, Md.? If you're a senior covered by Medicare, the wait is eight weeks.

How about a checkup from geriatric specialist Michael Trahos? Expect to see him every six months: The Alexandria-based doctor has been limiting most of his Medicare patients to twice yearly rather than the quarterly checkups he considers ideal for the elderly. Still, at least he'll see you. Top-ranked primary care doctor Linda Yau is one of three physicians with the District's Foxhall Internists group who recently announced they will no longer be accepting Medicare patients.

...if doctors skew their patient base away from Medicare too drastically, seniors' access to medical care could be limited.

[Frantzie]

You cannot blame the doctors. People voted for this. They prefer being brainwashed by TV and Hollywood plus watching TV which helps to keep Obama in power. ALL of TV and Obama think illegals deserve more than American seniors.

The sheep do not know any better.

[Frantzie]

Exactly. If doctors are supposed to take an oath of poverty than we all should. Geez.

Dentists may have it a bit better because there is no real insurance. They are more discount plans. The guy who was my dentist has practiced for years and has little to show for it. He has a bad back and got nerve damage from inhaling the perfume of women patients.

I have a few specialists/surgeons who are neighbors. They seem to have worked pretty hard for what they have.

[JouleZ]

......but medical people who expect wealth as a right are another.

****************

I don’t think it’s about getting rich for gen-Xer doctors. They owe a ton of money for student loans just to get through med school and residency programs.

My SIL is an ER doc and he’s just trying to support his family while working as little as possible. That’s just how gen-Xer’s roll. Nobody really wants to work anymore.

[boatbums]

I cannot really blame the doctors. One told me that they actually LOSE money when they treat patients on Medicaid and are not accepting new ones. I am on Medicare due to disability - was forced to move to it from a private group plan because the group insurer said they would only pay as secondary and if I did not take Medicare I would be liable for Medicare's part. A cervical steroid injection from my Pain management center costs $2175.45. Medicare only paid $299.72 and my copay was $250.00. The pain clinic had to write off over $1600! And they're talking about cutting payments to doctors even more? How long before this and other services will be unavailable completely???

[boatbums]

Been there, too. I even asked them if I could just pay the fee like somebody off the street who didn't have insurance and they said NO! I offered to pay the WHOLE fee and not an insurance agreed upon rate but they said they could not accept me because it was against the law to treat a patient who has Medicare and charge them the full price. It is ILLEGAL to pay your own way if you have Medicare!!!

[mojitojoe]

I don’t think so. There are other options and dying isn’t an option of mine. Move to another country where they care about all the people and have good health insurance. If it’s not repealed, we are out of here before we reach the age where Medicare is an issue.

[boatbums]

ping to my post #45. The answer is NO.

[LonghornFreeper]

Doctors have the RIGHT to the opportunity for wealth, same as you and me.

Medicare is socialism. It is in the advanced stages of failure.

Don’t blame doctors if you want your care for free.

This argument would hold water if the current medical system was not a cartel. Unfortunately, due to lobbying by the doctors themselves, it is just that.

There are plenty of times when I have known exactly what was wrong with me, and exactly what prescription I needed, but I was not allowed to just purchase that medicine as I would be in a free market system. Not even a nurse with years of experience could provide it, instead I needed to go to a doctor and pay for an office visit.

My contact lense prescription has been the same for several years, but if I want a new set of contacts or glasses, I am required by law to get a new prescription whether I feel it necessary or not.

A former girlfriend used to be on birth control, she'd been on the same pill with no problems for years, and would have to visit the gynecologist every year anyway in order to have the prescription refilled. The list goes on...

If you want a free market system, that goes both ways. What doctors in this country want (and currently have) is the power to force people to see them whether their services are wanted or not. Once doctors go that route, they have no business whining if the government restricts what they can charge.

[screaminsunshine]

TV and MSM is Anti-American. Oust them.

[estrogen]

Maybe they would take direct payment and then you can file for whatever the government will pay.

My doctor told me that they are not allowed to take private payment if your on Medicare. Is that true?

[Frantzie]

Boycott them. I pulled the plug a year ago and left “The Matrix.”

The endless fawning of Obama and the endless “stupid white man” commercials. Direct TV begged me to stay and offered me the church package. They will not get a penny from me.

The public has no clue that every network gets about $5 a month from each cable channel. The 6 networks own almost all the channels and there is Saudi shareholding, joint ventures and deals with all the networks.

Wonder why Bloomberg’s puppets approved the 911 mosque?

[fwdude]

There is a concerted effort to rid the population of elderly voters, who tend to vote conservative. How this obvious fact escapes most people is mind-blowing.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

They can’t until they know what will happen to the Medicare ‘Doc fix’.

[thulldud]

Direct TV begged me to stay and offered me the church package.

I started to ask "what could that be?" but I don't really wanna know....

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Innovative. Death Panels ping.

[markman46]

YA I know about the dr fix, and I don't think the Lame quack session is going to issue the fix, but time is growing short!!!

when the 2011 claims start rolling in no payments will be issued until the fix is done

[Does so]

I support all docs who quit rather than work harder for much less.

They can become lawyers!

[hinckley buzzard]

It will be safe to expect that Medicare will be scaled back, in a variety of ways: increasing premiums; increasing copays; more restrictions on coverage; reduced frequency of services (rationing;) Restriction of certain expensive drugs and other treatments. More palliative care(Take a pain pill instead of getting a knee replacement--you don't have to walk anywhere anyway)...more treats to follow...

[hinckley buzzard]

Voters over 65 went more strongly for McCain than any other age group. the "Idiots" who voted for him were the ignorant skulls full of mush from 18 to 29.

Obama was elected by stupid twenty-somethings.

[hinckley buzzard]

all you einsteins who think doctors are overpaid, why not cut their incomes in half, then see what quality of healthcare you start to get a few years down the road...(Hint: you won't be seeing any doctors. Say hello to Nurse Ratchet your new "provider.")