What's up with Medicare?

[Steve Larkin]

My brother is a primary care physician who takes care of geriatric patients exclusively and his income is about 20-25% more than a nurse practitioner...so who do you think is overpaid in his opinion?

[hamguy]

Originally Posted by faye

as a retired nurse/nurse practitioner, i personally think doctors in america have been paid too much, i think that general practitioners and specialists, one should not be paid more than the other, i think pay should be based on their quality of care and not just having a m.d. walk into the room for five minutes and charge 125.00-250.00 dollars. i think doctors, hospitals in general do not want to just make a good living but they want to make a fortune. i think that this is the reason the average person cannot afford to go to a doctor or go to the hospital without insurance.

YOU think some are paid too much. Based on that, I hereby proclaim that YOU are overpaid. I have as much information about your income as you do of theirs. Who determines what the quality of care is? How much did it cost my cardiologist to get to where he is?

If you take the profit motive out of any scenario, those doing the job lose the incentive to do well. Look at your local MVD office.

Did the feds do a bang-up job with N1H1 in your estimation? Can you show me ONE government agency that does a great job? Can you show me one government agency that produces ANY product?

How many of the incredibly complex machines, processes, medicines, that is, innovations, have come from the government?

I worked for Medtronics which invents, designs and manufactures medical LIFESAVING devices. Not one came from a politician. I am also a Patent Attorney (retired) and I never saw a patent application from a politician. There have been some, but they are few and far between.

What country over that last 200 years has invented, developed, and produced the most innovative products? THE USA!

Some complain that the US uses an inordinate amount of the world's resources. Well, we also produce the most "stuff" from those resources. And we do it while producing the least 'pollution' of any industrialized country in the world. Show me a better way if you think there is one.

We have the highest standard of living, the longest lifespan (children born today can expect to live to 100).

I could go on but I will finish by saying we may not be perfect but we are waaaaaaay ahead of second place!

[Jim Stewart]

Here is a link to Kaiser Foundation that gives a brief summary of both the House and Senate Versions of the legislation. It doesn't discuss Medicare but many have overall questions and want to understand what the bill means. This summary will not tell you what is going to be reduced in Medicare or how it affects reimbursement for Health Care Providers but is interesting reading.

Summaries of Coverage Provisions In House and Senate Reform Legislation - Kaiser Family Foundation

Hope you enjoy the read!

Jim

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by faye

as a retired nurse/nurse practitioner, i personally think doctors in america have been paid too much, i think that general practitioners and specialists, one should not be paid more than the other, i think pay should be based on their quality of care and not just having a m.d. walk into the room for five minutes and charge 125.00-250.00 dollars. i think doctors, hospitals in general do not want to just make a good living but they want to make a fortune. i think that this is the reason the average person cannot afford to go to a doctor or go to the hospital without insurance.

Your complaint seems to be based upon your assumption that it's the DOCTOR getting all that $$$ - and I'd bet you are WRONG!

Start limiting doctor salaries unrealistically - and we'll have fewer OF them - is THAT really what we want as part of our "improved medicare", especially while we are ALSO radically increasing patient loads?

[EngineerMike]

One thing is for sure. Private treatment facilities in Mexico will benefit enormously. Cost of everything there is way lower than here (although when their surgeons want further education, guess where they go- U.S.A). This will export a meaningful amount of care south of the border where there will be no lines, no rationing, and fees will be based on costs.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by EngineerMike

One thing is for sure. Private treatment facilities in Mexico will benefit enormously. Cost of everything there is way lower than here (although when their surgeons want further education, guess where they go- U.S.A). This will export a meaningful amount of care south of the border where there will be no lines, no rationing, and fees will be based on costs.

Drugs and dental care are definitely lower - but is hospital and surgical - such as heart and other serious treatments? Where are the major Mexican medical centers and major hospitals in Mexico located?

[Ron & Dee]

Wow,

I sure am glad that this discussion took place. It has made me dig futher into some of the Medicare Plans I have been bombarded with over the past several month.

I am thinking about changing my current plan, Medicare part A & B, to one of equal value and possibly more.

I will get all of my $97.00/ mo back that I pay Uncle Sam, plus gain a few other benifits such as eye exams, hearing, and dental exams, and cheaper co-pay on a few other things. I will also be able to keep my primary care Doctor.

I think I'm going to be a happy camper, at least for a little, until the Government steps in with the overhaul

Ron

[EngineerMike]

Gary- I don't know about mainland MX, just Baja, but I assume there is a similar industry all along the US/MX border region. Tijuana has a large number of medical facilities already, with some fancy setups in Rosarita Beach (just south of TJ) and in Ensenada (90 minutes wouth of TJ). Mexicali has a good dental school and medical school, and I would guess some facilities catering to gringos as well. Algodones, just south of Yuma AZ, has been famous for years in the southwest for dental, optical and other services. Many RV'ers forgo certain services for months, so they can make their annual snowbird pilgrimage, & slip over the border to get those services on the cheap. I know a gal who had two hips replaced, one in the States, the other in La Paz, lower Baja. Had a lot of trouble w/the stateside work, nothing but fast healing w/the La Paz work. Have reads some horror stories about shoddy work in MX, but then again anybody know someone who got bad medical work here in the States? I know I do.

I found this article on Medical Tourism in Mexico by googling "medical services in Mexico."

Like anything where information in the market place is not perfect, and there is room for graft, there are charlatans waiting to prey on the ill informed. For anybody getting dental or medical work done, get real recommendations from a source you trust, regardless of the country of origin.

[Jim Stewart]

Mike,

I do have a funny Mexico dental story. When my DW and full-timed in 1998, we spent some time in South Padre Island. My DW had to have a crown and she had it done in South Padre Island and it was $650.00.

Wouldn't you know it, 2 months later, I needed one done. I decided to go to Matamores Mexico just across the border to a Dental Clinic recommended by another RVer. When I got there for my appointment, the Dentist walks in the room and low and behold it was the same Guy that had done my DWs crown 2 months earlier. Mine cost $150.00. He told me that he moonlighted in Mexico on weekends and did not have to deal with all the problems in the US.

Still have that same crown, 11 years later!

[greystroke]

Originally Posted by Ron & Dee

Wow,

I sure am glad that this discussion took place. It has made me dig futher into some of the Medicare Plans I have been bombarded with over the past several month.

I am thinking about changing my current plan, Medicare part A & B, to one of equal value and possibly more.

I will get all of my $97.00/ mo back that I pay Uncle Sam, plus gain a few other benifits such as eye exams, hearing, and dental exams, and cheaper co-pay on a few other things. I will also be able to keep my primary care Doctor.

I think I'm going to be a happy camper, at least for a little, until the Government steps in with the overhaul

Ron

The Tampa paper this morning said that Senator Bill Nelson (Fl) added a provision to the Bill That benefits 800000 Florida Medicare Advantage Seniors so that not all the funds will be cut. Other states are affected but a big Benefit in a complicated formula goes to Florida.

Nebraska got their special deal and now Florida has a special deal. More special deals are probably coming to get the necessary votes.

Of course all of this alledged vote buying may end up in the Supreme Court.

If I didn't have TFL I would probably sign up for one of these programs.

Merry Christmas everybody.

[Richard Noble]

It has been most interesting to examine the various arguements about the legislation, health care, costs, profits, rationing, etc. I keep receiving anecdotical "evidence" concerning individual health care stories. Anecdotical stories do not tell a very complete tale. Analysis would seem to indicate that if an individual gets health care without insurance then they have to have gone to the ER at higher costs or paid for the care out-of-pocket which can't happen often. If there are 30,000,000 folks paying for health insurance after passage of legislation then had been paying before legislation there has to be a net decrease in costs. That is, less of the expensive ER and more of the less expensive general care - primarily prior to an emergency.

As to profits developing better treatments - most improvements in care have come from government and private grants provided to Universities for studies. One example of this is the PLCO unit at the University of Colorado. There is no profit to be made from keeping us well.

I find it funny about the discussions about socialized medicine. Socialized medicine works very well in America. Anyone here over 65 is a card carrying socialist! I haven't seen any rationing either.

[Gary - K7GLD]

I haven't seen any rationing either.

I could easily show you some, even with the existing system - but it would only be "anecdotal" - so probably not worth much...

AND, I have LITTLE doubt that as our system changes to be more like that of Canada's and others, we WILL see even more rationing, restrictions, and rising charges, taxes or otherwise as theirs are. But of course, we can't put smoke back into a bottle - OR return to what once was...

[hamguy]

Originally Posted by Richard Noble

It has been most interesting to examine the various arguements about the legislation, health care, costs, profits, rationing, etc. I keep receiving anecdotical "evidence" concerning individual health care stories. Anecdotical stories do not tell a very complete tale. Analysis would seem to indicate that if an individual gets health care without insurance then they have to have gone to the ER at higher costs or paid for the care out-of-pocket which can't happen often. If there are 30,000,000 folks paying for health insurance after passage of legislation then had been paying before legislation there has to be a net decrease in costs. That is, less of the expensive ER and more of the less expensive general care - primarily prior to an emergency.

As to profits developing better treatments - most improvements in care have come from government and private grants provided to Universities for studies. One example of this is the PLCO unit at the University of Colorado. There is no profit to be made from keeping us well.

I find it funny about the discussions about socialized medicine. Socialized medicine works very well in America. Anyone here over 65 is a card carrying socialist! I haven't seen any rationing either.

Medicare is NOT socialized medicine. I paid dearly for that program. Is the same cost spreading as normal insurance except it is BROKE.

I suffer crippling arthritis and was told I need a new knee. My doctor told me that by the time I get all the prep done,it will be refused because I also, at 68 years, suffer cured prostate cancer and have had a quad bypass.

He said I would certainly be refused based on his inside knowledge. I got the same story from others. But, that isn't rationing in the strictest sense. It is a refusal.

BTW, me telling you that I have found that 2+2=4 is anecdotal, but it is true none the less.

[Spikester]

Originally Posted by Richard Noble

If there are 30,000,000 folks paying for health insurance after passage of legislation then had been paying before legislation there has to be a net decrease in costs.

When you examine who the 30,000,000 new folks that supposely will now have healthcare coverage you find out that a large portion will be covered by Medicaid! This is due to relaxed the Medicaid eligibility requirements that are contained in the Reid Bill. Where does Medicaid $$ come from, the States have to come up with the majority of the $$. So me thinks that we will all see our State Taxes increase to cover these additional healthcare expenses, except those few States that were able to carve out "Sweetheart" deals that allow the Federal Government to cover those costs.

Spike