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Doctors alarmed over cost-cutting for poor, elderly

By tovarichpeter   Follow   Fri, 8 Jun 2012, 4:54pm   443 views   3 comments
In South San Francisco CA 94080   Watch (0)   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike  

http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/06/08/california-doctors-sound-alarm-over-governors-cost-cutting-plan/156444/

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1. elliemae Follow Befriend (25) 416 threads 7,008 comments Saint George, UT elliemae's website

   1   8:18pm Sat 9 Jun 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Many states have already cut their Medicaid back to the point that providers won't take it. Many states have stopped allowing Medicaid to act as a supplement to Medicare anyway. California, with a failing economy, continues to fund the program this way. California pays higher SSI amounts than most states - this translates into cash assistance and MediCal eligibility when other states don't cover it. I realize that docs and other providers are upset because they want to make dual eligible clients sign up for HMO/PPO's. Hopefully they'll allow docs to become providers as they wish, but the reimbursement amount won't be all that great. On the other hand, if these docs are already serving the patients and basically eating the copays, it'll be better than what they're making now. And the insurance companies will make out like bandits, the mf's.

2. futuresmc Follow Befriend (1) 1 threads 399 comments Buffalo, NY

   2   9:13pm Sat 9 Jun 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   elliemae says And the insurance companies will make out like bandits, the mf's. Funny how libertarians don't consider health insurers the middleman moochers that they really are. Medicare provides a much better standard of care at a far lower cost, and those on Medicare are the highest risks of all, the elderly and the disabled. Aren't the most efficient providers supposed to win in a free market and drive out the competition?

3. elliemae Follow Befriend (25) 416 threads 7,008 comments Saint George, UT elliemae's website

   3   7:28pm Sun 10 Jun 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   futuresmc says Aren't the most efficient providers supposed to win in a free market and drive out the competition? If you're asking why this isn't a good plan, the answer is that this is a heavily subsidized method to deny benefits to the elderly & disabled. Medicare doesn't provide a better standard of care. It's a health insurer. It pays for a better standard of care.