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Old 03-01-2010, 03:53 PM
 
Location: Lyon, France, Whidbey Island WA
20,838 posts, read 17,125,629 times
Reputation: 11535

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I am not of Medicare age yet however a guy I work out with is. This morning he told me he could not find an MD who would accept Medicare and that he has been actually told by several MD's that they will not see him due to his Medicare insurance. Urgent care will treat him but then not so politely say that he needs to find a regular MD.

Is this accurate?

 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:02 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,286,148 times
Reputation: 4937
Quote:
Originally Posted by AADAD View Post
I am not of Medicare age yet however a guy I work out with is. This morning he told me he could not find an MD who would accept Medicare and that he has been actually told by several MD's that they will not see him due to his Medicare insurance. Urgent care will treat him but then not so politely say that he needs to find a regular MD.

Is this accurate?
Might be. More and more physicans (MD's) will no longer take Medicare insurance since their reimbursement rates are so, so low.

It puts a lot of seniors, such as the guy you know, without a PCP.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:05 PM
 
12,022 posts, read 11,590,636 times
Reputation: 11136
Go to Medicare.gov and find a participating doctor for Eagle River, AK and vicinity. If a doctor refuses Medicare assignment, you can choose to pay for the office visit out of pocket. You need to pay Medicare B premiums to get coverage for office visits, lab tests, etc.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Over the Rainbow...
5,963 posts, read 12,447,101 times
Reputation: 3169
Yes it is true. Anchorage especially has a very high rate of doctors who won't take Medicare. There was a newspaper article a year or so ago that physicians were even dropping regular patients who had become of the age for Medicare.

We live in the Valley (Wasilla). I did find a couple who would see my mother-in-law who has Medicare.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:21 PM
 
Location: Texas
44,259 posts, read 64,416,945 times
Reputation: 73937
Too much paperwork, too little reimbursement. Plus, they are always trying to pull tricks to try not to pay you.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Lyon, France, Whidbey Island WA
20,838 posts, read 17,125,629 times
Reputation: 11535
unbelievable
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:24 PM
 
Location: Over the Rainbow...
5,963 posts, read 12,447,101 times
Reputation: 3169
Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4 View Post
Too much paperwork, too little reimbursement. Plus, they are always trying to pull tricks to try not to pay you.
Sadly that is true but also true for the secondary insurance Medicare patients carry. My MIL's secondary insurance is through a Union and not fun trying to get them to pay and jumping through hoops for them, all this and she pays a hefty sum each month for this insurance.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:26 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,286,148 times
Reputation: 4937
Quote:
Originally Posted by AADAD View Post
unbelievable
Ah, not really. The amount that Medicare reimburses physicans is so small in some instances, the doctor can literally lose money the moment the appointment is made.

Its a shame I know but, there are only so much a Dr can absorb before they would have to close their doors.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:28 PM
 
Location: Over the Rainbow...
5,963 posts, read 12,447,101 times
Reputation: 3169
Another problem is medical costs are higher in Alaska.
 
Old 03-01-2010, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,286,148 times
Reputation: 4937
Quote:
Originally Posted by AADAD View Post
unbelievable
How far are you from say Anchorage?
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