Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, states that Medicare funds will extend beyond 2029 assuming that Medicare payment reimbursements to doctors will go forward, Associated Press reports.
Richard Foster, the Medicare Actuary, warned in the report that the program’s projected savings might not be realistic. The report considers a 23% Medicare payment cut to physicians on Dec.1 and another 6.5 % on January 1 unless the current law is amended.
While these cuts may extend the life of Medicare funding as we know it, the severe reductions will actually accomplish two things, as I have highlighted in a previous blog. Those physicians that rely on Medicare for payment on services rendered, are scrambling to remove themselves from Medicare participation. Those that cannot do this, due to the extent of Medicare in their buy benzedrine inhaler online practices, will retire early, sell their practices to the hospital, not accept new Medicare patients, or simply close their doors and walk away.
Hopefully, this was not the intent that the government had in mind for healthcare reform.
Rumors abound that in order to “encourage” the acceptance of Medicare, it will be a contingent to participation in other healthcare plans.
Unlike the perception that many in the public hold, the problem with wanting to maintain the Medicare rates is not greed, but a clawing for financial survival with expenses and liability escalating.
It will become harder to find the physician that accepts Medicare outside of the hospitals and large facilities.
What is your take on the situation?
