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2010-01-08 Home Front: Politix

Mayo says it lost $840 million last year treating Medicare patients

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2010-01-08 11:36|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Physicians on average earn 20% to 30% less from Medicare than they do from private patients, and many are dropping out of the program.

I really wonder about the accuracy of this statement. A family member recently passed away after an extended bout with a serious illness and the resultant Medicare reimbursement info that I've seen indicates that *many* of the services provided were reimbursed at rates closer to 20-50% rather than the 70-80% indicated in this article. Some, radiology in particular, resulted in reimbursements closer to 10% of the billed rate (e.g., numerous x-rays billed at $500 each resulted in reimbursements of just over $55).

Posted by Phailing White1819 2010-01-08 12:09|| 2010-01-08 12:09|| Front Page Top

#2 Of course the only answer to this is to make all the doctors, nurses, et. al. public employees who work for the gov't. determined wage.

I've heard this proposed by leftist idiots of my acquintenance. When I point out that the doctors might then decide to be lawyers or carpenters instead the LI either gets angry and storms off or says the equivalent of "So what, there are too many anyway."

Where do we go from there?

Posted by AlanC 2010-01-08 13:09|| 2010-01-08 13:09|| Front Page Top

#3 Doctors in Israel spend part of their time working for the social system, and part of their time working in their own private practice.

Think about it.

Posted by gorb 2010-01-08 13:19|| 2010-01-08 13:19|| Front Page Top

#4 Collective farmers in the former Soviet Union did much the same. Thier private plots were generally much, much more productive. I wonder if there is a message there Gorb?

Posted by Besoeker 2010-01-08 13:32|| 2010-01-08 13:32|| Front Page Top

#5 It would allow people to vote with their pocketbooks.

Posted by gorb 2010-01-08 15:10|| 2010-01-08 15:10|| Front Page Top

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