doctors who accept medicare (Phoenix, Prescott: fit in, income, military)

[smilinpretty]

Originally Posted by BriansPerspective

We recently purchased medical insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield for about $205/month for the two of us. It's a pretty good deal and quite inexpensive. We pay 100% up to $5,500 (each) and then BCBS pays 100% from there on. If you think about it, that's a smokin' deal. Many people (either idividually or through their employers) pay $700 to $1000 per month for their insurance and their insurance only pays 80% of their health costs. 99% of the time, we do not get sick and only pay $205/mo. If one of us does get sick, then we end up paying $663/mo for that year and 100% of the cost above that is paid for.

Brian, that is a deal!! I never heard of such low premiums? Is this considered Major medical plan?. I am happy for you both to have found such great coverage.
I don't mean to sound like someone else on this board but the fact being not many people are able to afford $5500 deduction.

Being the socialist that I am, I would have loved to see a health plan, based on Medicare for all but the premiums would have had to increase some.

[Hollytree]

quote:
"I pay Automobile Insurance because I CHOOSE to own and drive a Vehicle.

I pay Real Estate Taxes because I CHOOSE to own a home.

I will have to pay for Medical Insurance whether or not I choose to have it, or be fined."

You are a human being who may, at any time, have an accident or will likely at some point get sick and need an expensive operation. Medical care is incredibly expensive and if you don't have insurance, the taxpayers will have to pick up the bill- usually through free emergency room service as they do now.

Having said that, I'm not sure that making people pay for "for profit" medical insurance companies is the answer either. They are a huge part of the reason medical care is so expensive.

I think we need a new paradigm- maybe one not based on the insurance industry- who are getting fat off all forms of misery & disaster.

[smilinpretty]

My sister who works in the medical field in California, the doctor who she works for won't accept Blue Shield/Blue Cross of California, because they take their sweet time paying and if the bill is $300, they pay $5 to $50. Medicare pays on $300, half. They get their payments from Medicare within 3 mos opposed to insurance companies who take up to 6 mos to pay their bills.

If doctor's are opting out of Medicare they are doing so ..because they want only people who are paying cash.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

If doctor's are opting out of Medicare they are doing so ..because they want only people who are paying cash.

Not true. Re-imbursement for a basic office visit can be as low as $8.00. 8.00 -

All cash practices are showing up around the country as well though. Nothing wrong with those.

[AnnieA]

Medicare and the Mayo Clinic - WSJ.com

Mayo Clinic in Arizona stopped taking new medicare patients in January 2010. Why this if Medicare is so wonderful ? A large clinic here in the Central Fla did the same thing.

[Nanny Goat]

Originally Posted by AnnieA

Medicare and the Mayo Clinic - WSJ.com

Mayo Clinic in Arizona stopped taking new medicare patients in January 2010. Why this if Medicare is so wonderful ? A large clinic here in the Central Fla did the same thing.

The docs don't make enough money and Mayo doesn't either.

[smilinpretty]

I just read a article that medicare reduced their payments by 21% to doctors. So, doctors are not making enough money on medicare and opt not to accept medicare.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

I just read a article that medicare reduced their payments by 21% to doctors. So, doctors are not making enough money on medicare and opt not to accept medicare.

Their re-imbursement doesn't cover the actual cost of a doctors visit - the staff time making the appointment, staff time during the appointment, staff time billing, doctors time during the visit -

Many doctors simply cannot afford to keep medicare patients

[Bideshi]

So, in effect, having Medicare is the same as being uninsured after paying into it all of our lives.

[smilinpretty]

No, if you find a doctor who accepts it and you have a supplement, it is A-okay.