Higher Deductibles Straining Many Doctor-Patient Relationships.

[AllenChicago]

An increasing number of higher-deductible health plans are giving doctors a heart-burn. Their offices must now work harder to get money from Patients, in addition their usual challenges with health insurers.

Story: AMA: Growing patient responsibility leads to greater hassle*:*Family Practice News

Forum members. Your Thoughts Please. Will the new ObamaCare Q.H.Plans ease the problem?

More Co-Pay plans (QHP's - 2014) instead of High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP - Today) with No Co-Pays.. but many more lower-income workers flooding the doctors offices as well. Hmmm.
-ac

 

[Dave020]

I thought more doctors would seriously consider direct primary care. Apparently they are slower than health insurers to make change.

 

[somarco]

The cash only model can work with PCP's but most specialists still need third party payments.

Docs aren't the only ones chasing patient dollars. Most dental practices have not only seen a drop in patient load but the ones that do show up are dragging out their payment.

 

[houcoogster]

I thought more doctors would seriously consider direct primary care. Apparently they are slower than health insurers to make change.

I was thinking the same thing now I just figure most docs are blow hards.
It makes me lmao when seniors tell me docs are going to stop taking medicare. I ask them... I wonder why they would want to chop off 90% of their income? Oh you must be talking about mediCAID ha lol

 

[somarco]

stop taking medicare. I ask them... I wonder why they would want to chop off 90% of their income?

You would be hard pressed to find a doc, unless all they did was geriatrics, that have anywhere close to 90% Medicare patients.

Most will limit Medicare patients to 15% or less of their total patient load. A few will go as high as 25 - 35% but I have never heard of any relying almost exclusively on Medicare.

While most docs do take Medicare patients, taking a NEW patient is something different. This is even true with docs you may have seen for years. Some will tell you when you turn 65 to find a new doc, or they will put you on a waiting list.

I believe one of the Mayo clinics in AZ no longer accepts Medicare patients for primary care.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Found it

Mayo Clinic in Arizona to Stop Treating Some Medicare Patients - Bloomberg