subject: Impact Of Medicare Physician Payment On Seniors [print this page] You may be thinking that June gloom is an expression to describe the weather in otherwise sunny Southern California. However, in the not-so-sunny world of Medicare it might be used to describe how Medicare physicians are feeling since Congress has once again averted a 21% pay cut to physicians by implementing a six-month fix.
Even though the Senate finally passed a bill rescinding the 21% cut and adding a 2.2% increase for Medicare payments, the action came too late to stop the first reduced Medicare payments to doctors from the scheduled 21.3% cut that went into effect June 1. Plus now the bill has to go back to the House for final approval.
What this does, says Alan Weinstock, an insurance broker at www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com, is put a temporary hold on physician payments. In this case there was both a temporary hold, and then a reduced payment.
Physicians React to the Medicare Cut
While there has not been the threatened mass exodus of physicians opting out of Medicare, many are making some changes.
A May online survey of more than 9,000 physicians conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that about 17% of all physicians who accept Medicare patients are restricting the number of Medicare beneficiaries they see. More than 30% of respondents who were identified as primary care physicians said they limit their Medicare patient load. For both sets of physicians, the top two reasons they cited were that Medicare rates were too low and that the constant threat of cuts made Medicare an unreliable payer.
Medicare Beneficiaries are Impacted by the Medicare Cut, Too
This ping-ponging between cutting and raising physician Medicare payments can make for uncertainty for seniors. The AMA likened it to playing Russian roulette with seniors health care.
In fact, a December 2007 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission reported that:
30% of Medicare patients indicated trouble in finding a new primary care physician;
25% indicated trouble getting timely appointments for preventive care and chronic conditions;
Nearly 20% indicated trouble getting timely appointments for illness or injury.
And this information is nearly three years old. So, of course, the concern is that things arent getting any better for seniors, notes Alan, especially those who are just nearing the age of 65 and looking to sign up for Medicare for the first time.
That is why it is important for those new to Medicare to begin the process early. There is a seven-month period in which to sign up for Medicare. It spans from three months before the month in which you turn 65 to three months after the month in which you turn 65.
And for current or soon-to-be Medicare patients who are looking for the best place to shop and compare Medicare supplement insurance plans, it is easy to get all the information they need just by visiting http://www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com.
by: Dallas
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