Comments on: Health insurance doesn’t automatically lead to health care

By: John Kalitka

John Kalitka — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:57:00 +0000

Apparently, you currently can't decline Medicare benefits and receive Social Security benefits (even though you paid for them). This is one clever way the Federal Government hopes to prop up managed care--by pressuring Medicare recipients into accepting something they don't want.

By: jb

jb — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:59:00 +0000

All they have to do is pass a regulation stating that it’s required to take all Medicare patients as a condition of licensure in the state. Problem solved.
Think they can’t do it? Or won’t?
They can and they will.

By: Chuck Brooks

Chuck Brooks — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:04:00 +0000

Too often, ‘insurance’ as based on acturial principles, is confused with entitlement actually based on political pull. It will only get worse. At least more doctors are finally realizing where their own best interests are.
Chuck Brooks
FutureWare SCG

By: Macobgyn

Macobgyn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:28:00 +0000

I agree with the premise of your article. One aspect is missing. Many doctors want to see Medicaid patients and are willing to see as many as possible but are unable to do so. Managed care Medicaid companies are dropping providers who do not have privileges at a facility with whom they contract. My group, for example, would like to see MORE managed care medicaid patients for prenatal care. Because the hospital where we deliver only accepts one type of medicaid, we are limited to only those patients. THIS IS WRONG. This systems limits access to health care and punishes the patients as well as the providers who want to care for them. While the hospital systems and managed care medicaid companies haggle and negotiate over percentages, patients and providers get left behind.