Guest Taxed Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 Medicare and Medicaid are two different programs, and Medicare pays more than Medicaid, for the same treatments. So your example does not disprove my point, at all. Yes I realize that medicare and medicaid are different programs with different reimbursement rates. My broader point was that NOT all doctors are bailing out. There are still many doctors that will gladly accept patients with these insurance benefits. Mr. Pencil's post is right on point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 I don't know about other towns, but in my town a lot of the doctors are still staying in the medicare program but are simply not taking any new medicare patients. I know because my wife has called several doctors and every one of them stated that they are not taking any NEW medicare patients. The indication was that they are accepting new patients but not new medicare patients. I guess my choice is to stay with my present doctor who is excellent but keeps you waiting in the waiting room for 2 or 3 hours or find a new inexperienced doctor that is still trying to build a business. Exactly. The thing it is easy for some people to forget is that doctors who operate a private practice are running a business, and like all small businesses, they have overhead to be concerned about. The new law significantly increases their overhead. If their income is being reduced at the same time, by the government switching many people from other plans into Medicaid, and at the same time reducing Medicare reimbursements, they of course are going to have to take that into consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted December 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 My doctor warned me a year ago she was going to retire rather than deal with all the new ACA rules, reg's, and limitations. She did -- and I have yet to find a new doctor in my plan who is taking new patients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Does your insurance company have a referral service? Usually they can locate a Doctor within a certain distance from your home who will take you as a new patient and accept that insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneInAlabama Posted December 22, 2013 Report Share Posted December 22, 2013 Any old doctor will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted December 23, 2013 Report Share Posted December 23, 2013 Any old doctor will do. I want a young doctor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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