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For all of the doom and gloom, all of the articles I read project what will happen, not what has happened. Perhaps after three months of talking about it, something may happen
All I can say is that this very thing is already happening with regular insurance. I have to find almost all new doctors because those physician practices are not taking BCBS, one of the largest health insurance companies in my state. So this is not strictly a Medicare problem. I have to find a new GP, a new Pediatrician for my son, and a new dermotologist because they aren't taking BCBS anymore. And unfortunately those doctors are all within the Carolinas Healthcare System which is the largest provider in the area.
All I can say is that this very thing is already happening with regular insurance. I have to find almost all new doctors because those physician practices are not taking BCBS, one of the largest health insurance companies in my state. So this is not strictly a Medicare problem. I have to find a new GP, a new Pediatrician for my son, and a new dermotologist because they aren't taking BCBS anymore. And unfortunately those doctors are all within the Carolinas Healthcare System which is the largest provider in the area.
Add to that the limited choices given us because we cannot buy insurance across state lines and the problem multiplies.
Its a great way to insure all those uninsured, just make it a law that all people must buy health care insurance or suffer federal fines or punishment, the problem of the poor being uninsured is suddenly solved.
All I can say is that this very thing is already happening with regular insurance. I have to find almost all new doctors because those physician practices are not taking BCBS, one of the largest health insurance companies in my state. So this is not strictly a Medicare problem. I have to find a new GP, a new Pediatrician for my son, and a new dermotologist because they aren't taking BCBS anymore. And unfortunately those doctors are all within the Carolinas Healthcare System which is the largest provider in the area.
Agreed. I've had to change Dr's many times over the years because of health insurance issues. Dr's dropping in and out, plans that change how much they pay, getting billed directly by medical providers for services that they aren't getting reimbursed for, arguing with the insurance companies for coverage, etc. The only good thing is that my coverage has been through my husbands employer so the cost to us was kept somewhat low, although it's gone up quite a bit over the years.
It may be only 2% "profit" .. but there is a huge percentage of BULL****.. like executive bonuses, corporate jets and fancy offices.. etc.
Perhaps if that crap was eliminated there would be more money going for actual medicine and care.. rather than the other nonsense.. hell there might even be a little more than 2% profits to be made.
Add to that the limited choices given us because we cannot buy insurance across state lines and the problem multiplies.
This "buy inurance across state lines" is a sham. Some states have looser requirements than others. THAT is why insurance cos want people to be able to buy across state lines: so they can sell these stripped down policies, which really don't cost that much less than better policies. Furthermore, if you get insurance at work, the only choice you have is to take it or leave it, and why would you leave it and buy it on your own, which is virtually ALWAYS more expensive. I believe group insurance is not bound by state regs anyway, but by ERISA.
I was arguing this point last summer. Obama used the Mayo Clinic as an example of a hospital or healthcare system that is somehow getting it right. Obama's argument is that the Mayo Clinic unlike other hospitals billed Medicare for less money. They compared the Mayo Clinic to UCLA Medical Center for example and showed how UCLA was billing Medicare for far more. They were trying to argue that Mayo is just more efficient. That was their entire argument which was weak. The reason Mayo bills Medicare less is because they have a wealthier patient population that often pays cash for their services which includes wealthy foreign patients and patients with premium private insurance plans. In Phoenix, Mayo is kind of seen as a joke. Sure, they have brilliant doctors who treat rare illnesses but they also accept only the best insurance plans. They will scut illegals and other uninsured patients to the county hospital. It's difficult to get patients admitted there at times. People who are not in medicine have no idea how the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic work. They deal with a boutique patient base so they don't experience many of the problems that regular hospitals face. I would like to see how efficient Mayo is if they are forced to see loads of illegals, drug abusers, uninsured and gang members and other gun shot victims that county hospitals see. When they are losing money on these patients, I would like to see how "efficient" Mayo is with regards to billing Medicare. Now they won't even take some Medicare patients....interesting
All I can say is that this very thing is already happening with regular insurance. I have to find almost all new doctors because those physician practices are not taking BCBS, one of the largest health insurance companies in my state. So this is not strictly a Medicare problem. I have to find a new GP, a new Pediatrician for my son, and a new dermotologist because they aren't taking BCBS anymore. And unfortunately those doctors are all within the Carolinas Healthcare System which is the largest provider in the area.
You aren't telling the entire story. Most physicians accept BCBS. It's not difficult to find a physician who accepts that plan. Most likely your doctor is extremely popular and probably very good and thus he can refuse to accept BCBS because he has enough patients willing to see him that are not on BCBS.
That doesn't mean you can't easily find another capable and nice doctor who accepts BCBS. Just because you can't see the doctor you want, it doesn't mean you are banned from receiving quality heath care so it isn't the same situation like this Medicare issue.
No this is the whole story. The Physician Network Carolina's Healthcare System is no longer contracting with Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina. They could not come to an agreement so they dropped it. This includes my son's pediatrician, my GP, my Gyno and my dermotologist. THere are other doctor's NOT within the Carolina's Healthcare System which of course will accept BCBS (hopefully). It has nothing to do with my doctor's patient load. The particular practice that my GP works out of is actually trying to see if they can get around it by opening an office in NC. It means I might have a longer drive to get to my doctor but it might mean I get to keep him.
To add insult to injury, I got less than 7 days notice regarding this. Thank goodness we have an abundence of urgent cares and my son doesn't get sick very often because I also started a new job so couldn't take the time off to get established with any new practices.
I realize that my situation is not exactly like the Medicare issue but in reality it isn't all that much different. Mayo clinic has stopped accepting Medicare, CHC has stopped accepting BCBS of SC. Of course I can find other doctor's, just as Medicare patients can find other doctors. It might be more common with Medicare but people seem to thing private insurance companies are immune to the same problem and they are not.
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