tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-823719196374898491.post2951506547365892266..comments2023-12-19T07:29:42.437-06:00Comments on Dedicated Tenther: Nature Takes Its Course- CNN Money AstonishedDedicated Tentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02169003228002700000noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-823719196374898491.post-77767922157242904662013-05-09T03:38:51.058-05:002013-05-09T03:38:51.058-05:00You forgot to mention that decreases in Medicare p...You forgot to mention that decreases in Medicare payments were already planned in 2011. In fact, a 27.4% Medicare physician pay cut was planned to take affect 01Jan2012. http://www.amednews.com/article/20111114/government/311149949/1/<br />Compared to the planned 27.4% decrease, a 2% cut is minimal.<br />Your "hint #2" includes "rising costs of malpractice insurance"; OB-Gyn physicians have among the highest of malpractice insurances. An earlier CNN Money article has an anecdote from an OB-Gyn who paid 125,000% in yearly malpractice insurance. <br />Reimbursement by Medicare has historically affected the reimbursement rates of private insurance companies and led to medical innovation, Hospital and HMO cost-cutting efforts, and the adoption and abandonment of procedures/medications by physicians. For example, cataract removal was once a very lucrative procedure for Medicare reimbursement, and many physicians made fortunes in Florida before Medicare slashed the reimbursement. Private insurance companies use the Medicare reimbursement rates as a baseline when paying hospitals for procedures, so it is logical that when Medicare rates decrease private insurance organizations renegotiate rates as well. Cosmetic/Bariatric surgeons can have lucrative practices due to increased obesity in the U.S. population, less invasive procedures such as the adjustable Lap-Band device placement, and reimbursement from Medicare due to the understanding that bariatric procedures reduce mortality from diseases such as Hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. <br />To suggest that a 2% decrease in Medicare reimbursement is the largest reason for physicians leaving medical practice, or a direct effect of the affordable healthcare act is intellectually dishonest and ignores many of the larger reasons for physician bankruptcy.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695672717501285863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-823719196374898491.post-60706505370716812582013-04-12T17:29:06.078-05:002013-04-12T17:29:06.078-05:00No kidding about the red herring, an oncologist ha...No kidding about the red herring, an oncologist has pretty much the *opposite* of a "lucrative elective" type practice. The use of "insurance reimbursements" when the truth was the reduction of Medicare payments is pretty much media malpractice.Polliwognoreply@blogger.com