Comments on: A right to private health care http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/02/right-to-private-health-care.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/02/right-to-private-health-care.html#comment-72246 Anonymous Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:26:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/02/a-right-to-private-health-care.html#comment-72246 As things stand, nothing infringes the patient from private contracting, provided he is able to find a physician willing to do so. Plastic surgeons privately contract all the time. But for a doctor to privately contract with the patient, the penalty by Medicare, if that patient were to be a Medicare beneficiary, is exercised primarily against the doctor: the doctor is excluded from any participation with Medicare for two years following, for all Medicare patients and for all Medicare-eligible services. And he is required to give the contracting patient notice that the services will not be compensated in any way by Medicare; it becomes entirely the patient's expense. The patient is, however, allowed to have other services from other doctors covered by Medicare if he chooses, and at any time. For the patient, with the exception of having to pay out of pocket when hiring a private contractor does not infringe on any of his other relationships with his other doctors, and he still enjoys full Medicare coverage.<br/><br/>As I read this language, it merely states the situation as it presently exists. The doctor is plenty infringed; the patient not at all. As things stand, nothing infringes the patient from private contracting, provided he is able to find a physician willing to do so. Plastic surgeons privately contract all the time. But for a doctor to privately contract with the patient, the penalty by Medicare, if that patient were to be a Medicare beneficiary, is exercised primarily against the doctor: the doctor is excluded from any participation with Medicare for two years following, for all Medicare patients and for all Medicare-eligible services. And he is required to give the contracting patient notice that the services will not be compensated in any way by Medicare; it becomes entirely the patient’s expense. The patient is, however, allowed to have other services from other doctors covered by Medicare if he chooses, and at any time. For the patient, with the exception of having to pay out of pocket when hiring a private contractor does not infringe on any of his other relationships with his other doctors, and he still enjoys full Medicare coverage.

As I read this language, it merely states the situation as it presently exists. The doctor is plenty infringed; the patient not at all.

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