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Obama and his Democrat friends in Congress continue to treat the elderly like throwaways in favor of other groups.
"An Obama administration plan to cut Medicare payments to heart and cancer doctors by $1.4 billion next year is generating a backlash that’s undermining the president’s health-care overhaul."
Obama and friends are doing this by putting emphasis on preventative care and family doctors. Oncologists and cardiologists (you know the people who save the lives of older Americans) "say patients will lose access to life-saving care, from pacemakers to chemotherapy."
Having worked in the field of cardiology for the past 35 years, I have some insight through several frienships with cardiologists. This past week a few of us were discussing the projected cuts to cardiology. Each one {MD's} had misgivings about health care reform but more specifically, they were very concerned about the projected cuts. To a person, they stated; "We will go to a pay-for-service practice" where only cash paying and private insurance patients will be seen. They were discussing not accepting any medicare, medicaid or public option payments. Now, I'm not trying to imply that this is any greater than the several people involved in this discussion, but it certainly could evolve into something larger if cuts are made. This isnt posted to be pro or anti health care reform...its just an observation from someone involved.
"An Obama administration plan to cut Medicare payments to heart and cancer doctors by $1.4 billion next year is generating a backlash that’s undermining the president’s health-care overhaul."
A legitimate concern ... cutting the Medicare payments for procedures like echocardiograms and cardiac catheterizations, the impact in particular on rural doctors, and so on.
But the now tiresome statements like "treat the elderly like throwaways" and "killing grandma" simply poison the debate once again. People who would like to talk about the actual issues (and there are plenty of issues) are left shaking their heads in dismay at the inability of many Americans to talk in anything other than soundbites and cutesy slogans.
Obama and his Democrat friends in Congress continue to treat the elderly like throwaways in favor of other groups.
"An Obama administration plan to cut Medicare payments to heart and cancer doctors by $1.4 billion next year is generating a backlash that’s undermining the president’s health-care overhaul."
Obama and friends are doing this by putting emphasis on preventative care and family doctors. Oncologists and cardiologists (you know the people who save the lives of older Americans) "say patients will lose access to life-saving care, from pacemakers to chemotherapy."
I'm telling you everthing this Presidents says (we're not killing grandma) is the opposite of his actions.
Of course they are worried. More preventative care means less need for oncologists and cardiologists. Protecting their little fiefdoms sounds more like.
Of course they are worried. More preventative care means less need for oncologists and cardiologists. Protecting their little fiefdoms sounds more like.
This is about Medicare.
It's a little late for many kinds of preventive care to be much help with many in this group.
Having worked in the field of cardiology for the past 35 years, I have some insight through several frienships with cardiologists. This past week a few of us were discussing the projected cuts to cardiology. Each one {MD's} had misgivings about health care reform but more specifically, they were very concerned about the projected cuts. To a person, they stated; "We will go to a pay-for-service practice" where only cash paying and private insurance patients will be seen. They were discussing not accepting any medicare, medicaid or public option payments. Now, I'm not trying to imply that this is any greater than the several people involved in this discussion, but it certainly could evolve into something larger if cuts are made. This isnt posted to be pro or anti health care reform...its just an observation from someone involved.
They have that right.
There will also be other doctors out there who will care more about the patient than their pocketbook.
Why should doctors be free from cuts like any other profession?
They need to learn to adjust like anyone else.
I personally don't think Medicare payments should be cut, it would be nice if they could stay the same and for seniors that make over a certain amount will have to pay say a $20-60 co-pay whenever they see a cardiologist.
I guess no patients have EVER suffered when their insurance company refused to pay for a visit to a cardiologist or refused to pay for their open heart surgery? Let's no paint the government as the big bad wolf here.
"technology in medicine is frequently untested scientifically, often applied without data relating to cost benefit, and driven by market forces rather than by patient needs." Bernard Lown, 2004
They have that right.
There will also be other doctors out there who will care more about the patient than their pocketbook.
Why should doctors be free from cuts like any other profession?
They need to learn to adjust like anyone else.
I personally don't think Medicare payments should be cut, it would be nice if they could stay the same and for seniors that make over a certain amount will have to pay say a $20-60 co-pay whenever they see a cardiologist.
I guess no patients have EVER suffered when their insurance company refused to pay for a visit to a cardiologist or refused to pay for their open heart surgery? Let's no paint the government as the big bad wolf here.
Iguess you don't know that Medicare is an 80/20 plan.
Out-of-pocket is 20% of whatever a provider charges
The Illinois Attorney General recently filed suit against more than 20 Chicago-area MRI centers, alleging that the centers participated in an increasingly common and widespread scheme to win referrals by paying illegal kickbacks to physicians [1]. This case and similar filings in Florida and Louisiana have caught the attention of both doctors and lawyers since a ruling could affect the structure and practice of radiology.
I have seen these abuses of the system in my neighborhood where over the past 5-10 years a ridiculous number of these imaging centers have sprung up. These particular centers are part of a scam and insurance fraud by immigrants that have figured out how to milk the system. Ambulance chasing is rampant and it is costing taxpayers a fortune. The medical centers, imaging centers, ambulette services and attorneys are in cahoots and maybe this why Obama's administration is cracking down.
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