High-end Medical Option Prompts Medicare Worries

[AndreaSti]

High-end medical option prompts Medicare worries - Yahoo! Finance

Interesting. My primary doc chose this route. I didn't stick with her but might have if I had a lot of medical issues. Most of her clients are Medicare.

 

[somarco]

Concierge services are the medical communities reaction to government "MLR" by placing caps on how much they will pay for Medicare patient services. Docs charge $1500 or so for valet parking, 24 access to their cell phone, a "free" physical, etc but like the old Master Card commercial, they don't take insurance but will take American Express.

I expect this to be a growth industry but not common place among PCP's. Won't work in the ghetto but will in Buckhead, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/docs-on-margin.html

http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/doc-will-see-you-now-and-we-do-mean-now.html

http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/concierge-battle-brewing.html

http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/paging-dr-goofy.html

As you can see, some of our posts go back to 2006, so while this is growing it is far from commonplace.

 

[Norwayguy]

Maybe I'm just heartless...But since I believe in a capitalistic system I see no problem with a Dr making a decision that best effects his Practice and his lifestyle.

I would also consider this fee if the Dr's office I am a patient at began overbooking or pushing out appointments so that I couldn't get in the same day or the next. They have done a good job of balancing booked appointments and having space for those that come down with an illness and need to be seen.

I also believe that given time this same Capitalistic system will provide a solution such as the Doc in a box at many pharmacies and urgent care centers that we are seeing everyday....

Another thing that Medicare and Medicaid need to consider is that the cost shifting to private insurance patients can not continue forever and if Dr's don't feel like they are justly rewarded for dealing with Medicare and Medicaid patients they will just stop seeing them...Then what will happen with Mao Bama seize their practices and require them to work for the Government?

 

[HealthGuy]

Norway: Dead on man. Docs aren't going to work for Obama peanuts and beer with him. They will find a way around his F'ed up health plan. And somehow they will continue to make their money. Maybe, ultimately, we will too. I'm not working for 5% comp.

 

[AndreaSti]

If I was a primary doc and had the clientele, I would do it in a heartbeat. Less stress, less headaches, better quality of life. I am actually quoting the doc that I had when she decided to go that route.

My question is, what is our all knowing leader going to do about this? The folks who spout that healthcare is a God-given right never stop to think that that God given care has to be handed out by a mortal humana being who wants to make a living doing it.

 

[Norwayguy]

If I was a primary doc and had the clientele, I would do it in a heartbeat. Less stress, less headaches, better quality of life. I am actually quoting the doc that I had when she decided to go that route.

My question is, what is our all knowing leader going to do about this? The folks who spout that healthcare is a God-given right never stop to think that that God given care has to be handed out by a mortal humana being who wants to make a living doing it.

Please tell me this nothing but a spelling error and not a Freudian slip

 

[somarco]

Hey, Humana makes some great appliances. We have a 35 yr old RadarRange that works like the day we bought it.

 

[G.Gordon]

Same principle that ObamaCare forgot about insurance companies. They are a private enterprise. Can't force a business to enter into a losing situation. By 2014 you'll see a landslide of carriers exit the individual market. ref: Alabama circa somewhere around '95-97. The state took away all the health insurance companies abilities to prevent adverse selection, lawsuits, pre-x, etc. Within 90 days every carrier sans BCBS annouced an exit and sent out cancellation notices. I believe the state reversed the mandates so the companies reversed their threats.

Of course all this does is confirm the whole "reason" for ObamaCare, which is to force all carriers out so the only solution is "gov'ment option".

 

[houcoogster]

Hey, Humana makes some great appliances. We have a 35 yr old RadarRange that works like the day we bought it.

Best microwave ever made those things are like a tank.

Amana has a good dental hmo though.

 

[arnguy]

Please tell me this nothing but a spelling error and not a Freudian slip

Peter, maybe Andrea has been "brainwashed" by Humana!