Medicaid Patients Face Closed Doors Florida (Iraq, salaries, generations, health care)

[sunrico90]

Has anyone experienced this problem?

It seems a crisis is brewing in Florida, because it is becoming increasingly difficult for Medicaid patients to find doctors willing to take them on. In Naples, finding a specialist willing to accept new patients is exceptionally difficult. The problem lies in reimbursement from the State, the average office visit can cost a doctor upwards of $80 dollars. However, the state's Medicaid reimbursement is $32. That amount makes it difficult to cover the cost of operation, including utility bills and staff salaries.

This got to change or we all will experience this problem sooner or later....

[daniellefort]

well i worked in a medical facility in the billing department for 4 years and yes Medicaid has cut their payments every year. They pay a flat fee no matter what the charge is. (most insurances due this so when you see the provider charge huge fees, relax, they won't get near that much in return) For example, if a patient came to our clinic, had an office visit, labs and an x-ray, the office visit was the only thing that was paid and anything else had to be a medicaid write off. Unless they come in the next day to do the labs and x-rays, we did not get paid for it and if we did get paid, it was very minimal. I used to also do the referrals for patients on Medicaid and yes, it was getting increasingly difficult to find providers who accepted that insurance and those who did had schedules so full it would take months to get an appointment even for urgent diagnoses.

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

Has anyone experienced this problem?

It seems a crisis is brewing in Florida, because it is becoming increasingly difficult for Medicaid patients to find doctors willing to take them on. In Naples, finding a specialist willing to accept new patients is exceptionally difficult. The problem lies in reimbursement from the State, the average office visit can cost a doctor upwards of $80 dollars. However, the state's Medicaid reimbursement is $32. That amount makes it difficult to cover the cost of operation, including utility bills and staff salaries.

This got to change or we all will experience this problem sooner or later....

I worked as program Director for a brain-injured facility in Dania Beach. This was in 2003/04- the patients living there were living in sub-human conditions. At that time they received 70.00 a month, which was then cut again. Many medical/walk-in clinics went out of business/refused to accept these patients. It was very sad.

Anyone saying there is no problem- have a happy selfish life. It is sad to see these people who often have no family that can help. We are living in the richest country- and this is a scandal. TAX money should be going to help these people- I would rather that than re-building Iraq and Halliburton offices in Dubai.

[Floridabound09]

This is sad !

I would be willing to bet any welfare person walking in has not problems.

If we cannot take care of our elderly then we need to put a stop to the generations of freebie society welfare cases.

I am not for social healthcare but no senior who has worked their whole life should go without a single thing they need when a young women with 5 kids and never worked a day in her life can get a card for all the free health care she wants.

I ER doctor in my town was fired recently for refusing to treat a 22 year old women for a simple cold, he told her I just saw you two days ago for this, let the medicines I gave you work and then come back. She of course filed complaints and he was gone in no time. He is appealing but she filed discrimination on him.. He is gone for good! System will screw him and take care of her.

[sunrico90]

Reference to Florida Programs: http://www.floridamedicaid.com/

Florida's average monthly eligibles is currently approximately 2.3 million Medicaid recipients. The reports below are broken into five categories that display Medicaid eligibles as of the last day of each month.

Consumer Complaint, Publication and Information Call Center

The agency provides a toll-free telephone system for consumers to call in order to file complaints, receive publications, information and referral numbers. This system can be accessed by calling the number below between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time Monday through Friday. Complaints about health care facilities are taken during regular business hours, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time (EST).

(888) 419-3456

Facility Locator: http://facilitylocator.floridahealthstat.com/

http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/Contact/call_center.shtml
http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/Medicaid/about/about2.shtml
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/

[Sunshine State]

Amen, SunnyHelena!!!!!!....I cant agree with you more on your last paragraph, and Ive often wondered for years how these sad folks were getting along in reality, so thanks for bringing this up, Sunrico, I worked at the Shands Teaching Hospital Admitting Office before I joined the service in late 70s and became spoiled by the awesome insurance I now have, and the Medicaid recepients even THEN were having such hard long waits and tough outcomes it almost made me want to cry for them... but I sure do hate to hear this has taken such a deeper plunge, I agree, bring our men home, and save our hard earned cash for our own needy families in our land, not meaning to sound unconcerned about the sad Iraqi victims but its time we made some solid moves to come home....

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by Sunshine State

Amen, SunnyHelena!!!!!!....I cant agree with you more on your last paragraph, and Ive often wondered for years how these sad folks were getting along in reality, so thanks for bringing this up, Sunrico, I worked at the Shands Teaching Hospital Admitting Office before I joined the service in late 70s and became spoiled by the awesome insurance I now have, and the Medicaid recepients even THEN were having such hard long waits and tough outcomes it almost made me want to cry for them... but I sure do hate to hear this has taken such a deeper plunge, I agree, bring our men home, and save our hard earned cash for our own needy families in our land, not meaning to sound unconcerned about the sad Iraqi victims but its time we made some solid moves to come home....

One brain injured patient was in the ER for 10 hours- he was left there by a worker and the hospital had too many Medicaid patients (they had nowhere else to go) This was a young 27 yr old who received a traumatic brain injury when playing football at U of F.

Our medical system is collapsing and these people need help. I cannot believe some selfish poster can say pay up or shut up. There but for fortune go you, or your child.............

sunny

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by sunnyhelena

One brain injured patient was in the ER for 10 hours- he was left there by a worker and the hospital had too many Medicaid patients (they had nowhere else to go) This was a young 27 yr old who received a traumatic brain injury when playing football at U of F.

Our medical system is collapsing and these people need help. I cannot believe some selfish poster can say pay up or shut up. There but for fortune go you, or your child.............

sunny

What about universal medical care, works in Canada, will it work in the USA?

[Floridabound09]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

What about universal medical care, works in Canada, will it work in the USA?

Could work here but will cause a huge and major change to the entire health care industry and the pork eating money makers would find a way to stop it.
There would be no more behind the scenes money being made like today.

If I remember Canada struggled with it at first because they sorted and seperated people who they felt made too much money, you cannot do this, it has to be a total package.

Could you imagine all the money people would have to spent that pay for healthcare? What about companies that pay for employees healthcare, maybe they could invest the money and grow or give employees raises.

The economy would flourish I think under a universal health care, but I do not want only a group of people to get it, it would need to be for each and every American citizen.

It is sad when our Iraq vets are coming home and there families are left with staggering unpaid bills, poor medical care etc.

We have our priorities so screwed up, don't we?

We need a leader, someone with guts to finally take a stand and stop the madness.

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

What about universal medical care, works in Canada, will it work in the USA?

I will respond- yes- it possibly can. Something needs to be done, quickly. These kids were college students, not welfare cases- who need brain surgery/assisted living- it would cost millions. We need fed regulation- because HMO's/managed care does NOT work. Not when you are talking about Medicaid and severe injury, and hospitals are backlogged in general right now.

sunny.