How the AMA’s stance differs from some of the other physician groups. Behind the scenes of the recent Medicare reimbursement reprieve.
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Good, because I’ve been very worried about the whispered rumblings I’ve heard from some local doctors about “not wanting any more Medicare patients” because of the low reimbursement. I noticed it most when patients without a primary physician went to the ER— and nobody wanted to pick them up.
Oh, don’t worry… Doctor’s still do not want to take on medicare patients. There is just a division on how we should go about trying to fix the system. Do we let it fall to pieces all at once or do we let it come on slowly (let inflation erode the program).
We continue to get low reimbursement – we’re just “happy” that we’re not geting further screwed by “socialized” medicine. What I’d worry about,if you’re a senior, is a revolt by physicians who will abandon Medicare altogether. It’s already happening with Medicaid in NJ. Many of these patients cannot find outpatient surgeons, as they’ve just about all dropped out. Medicare is soon to follow if the system isn’t fixed. There are already physicians in all specialties who won’t take new Medicare patients. I wish we, as physicians, had the cajones to just drop out of Medicare and tell the government to stick it where the sun don’t shine.
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