tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post2261425637410794071..comments2023-08-21T02:57:37.362-05:00Comments on Dr. Wes: The Implications of Our (Temporary) 21% Medicare Pay CutDrWeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17438019699222125477noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-89413933172370356272010-03-14T13:50:44.129-05:002010-03-14T13:50:44.129-05:00Dr. Lemmon,
Here are some pieces from the Congres...Dr. Lemmon,<br /><br />Here are some pieces from the Congressional Budget Offices report on Paul Ryan's proposal "Roadmap to America's Future Act". He addresses all three entitlements, and the budget/economy:<br /><br />"The lower budget deficits under your proposal would result in much less federal debt than under the alternative fiscal scenario and thereby a much more Jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02317972207150149720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-40064414630950427442010-03-14T13:48:17.355-05:002010-03-14T13:48:17.355-05:00Dr. Lemmon,
Here are some pieces from the Congres...Dr. Lemmon,<br /><br />Here are some pieces from the Congressional Budget Offices report on Paul Ryan's proposal "Roadmap to America's Future Act". He addresses all three entitlements, and the budget/economy:<br /><br />"The lower budget deficits under your proposal would result in much less federal debt than under the alternative fiscal scenario and thereby a much more Jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02317972207150149720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-51803011041358946982010-03-09T21:03:58.572-06:002010-03-09T21:03:58.572-06:00Here is how to fix Medicare's financial proble...Here is how to fix Medicare's financial problems:<br /><br />1. Cut benefits (physician's pay is part of this).<br />2. Expand the tax base (raise taxes or tax more people).<br />3. Raise the age of eligibility.<br />4. A combination of all three.<br /><br />Anything else like P4P, quality initiatives, medical homes, Accountable Care Organizations etc. is one of the above in disguise. DrLemmonhttp://bittersweetmedicine.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-57855938243734381472010-03-04T08:42:30.566-06:002010-03-04T08:42:30.566-06:00Congressional Budget Office on Medicare "savi...Congressional Budget Office on Medicare "savings" from senate bill:<br /><br />"It is unclear whether such a reduction in the growth rate could be achieved, and if so, whether it would be accomplished through greater efficiencies in the delivery of health care or would reduce access to care or diminish the quality of care."<br /><br />CBO link:<br /><br />http://Jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02317972207150149720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-57898381460310092782010-03-04T08:42:30.565-06:002010-03-04T08:42:30.565-06:00Obama yesterday: "And the rising cost of Medi...Obama yesterday: "And the rising cost of Medicare and Medicaid will sink our government deeper and deeper into debt."<br /><br /><br />From letter by Richard S. Foster, Chief Actuary for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dec. 10, 2009 regarding Senate Health care bill:<br /><br />"Of the additional 33 million people who are estimated to be insured in 2019 as a result of Jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02317972207150149720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-62599452312401919542010-03-02T15:12:57.905-06:002010-03-02T15:12:57.905-06:00Keith - I'm not a fan of one particular party,...Keith - I'm not a fan of one particular party, but you should be slow to blame Republicans for a massive expansion of an entitlement via the prescription drug plan.<br /><br />CNN News article, May 2002:<br /><br />- Democrats argue GOP prescription drug plan too weak, not expansive enough. Democrats propose prescription drug bill that costs an estimated $75 billion dollars more than GOP billJodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02317972207150149720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-43794548075145630272010-03-02T14:55:07.422-06:002010-03-02T14:55:07.422-06:00For anybody unfamiliar with the real numbers when ...For anybody unfamiliar with the real numbers when it comes to physician reimbursements from the government and health care inflation (the Medicare Economics Index), you should go to the actual source:<br /><br />The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) report shows that the Medicare Economics Index between 1992 and 2010, with the cuts, shows a 54% rise in the MEI and only an 11% rise CriticalCareRNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-79683240610176564572010-03-02T08:46:04.136-06:002010-03-02T08:46:04.136-06:00It's amazing how shocked physicians are that t...<i>It's amazing how shocked physicians are that their pay would ever be cut. They're almost like federal employees in that way. Did you think that once you got on the govt. gravy train it would never end?</i><br /><br />The "government gravy train" before the cuts paid only 80% of actual cost to care for the patient, with the cut it is a larger red-line item to care for a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-65543783340712540272010-03-02T02:34:25.315-06:002010-03-02T02:34:25.315-06:00Why can't we just let the cuts stand and then ...Why can't we just let the cuts stand and then see what will happens. I agree in the pay cuts btw.Amega Globalhttp://www.zeropointmagicwand.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-75775464566373620192010-03-01T22:43:50.229-06:002010-03-01T22:43:50.229-06:00Doc in Or
Well, Anonymous, I knew someone would b...Doc in Or<br /><br />Well, Anonymous, I knew someone would bring up the doctors-make-too-much-money mantra.<br /><br />It's good old-fashioned capitalism that the only folks worthy of making money are the banksters and war profiteers. Perish the thought of a twenty-year-old, two-physician, seven-staff office being solvent(and that's all we ever desired to be), in rural Oregon, paying Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-19653460561022898752010-03-01T22:27:00.890-06:002010-03-01T22:27:00.890-06:00Anon 3:46
Who is surprised? This cut was programm...Anon 3:46<br /><br />Who is surprised? This cut was programmed in for years, and everyone knew that each time Congress deferred a programmed cut, it had the effect of doubling down the previously planned reduction at the next interval. <br /><br />Be careful what you wish for, though. Because for many practices, a 21% Medicare and Tricare cut will mean no more new appointments for patients with beetleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04671720515822742814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-63482165782479735872010-03-01T15:46:01.338-06:002010-03-01T15:46:01.338-06:00It's amazing how shocked physicians are that t...It's amazing how shocked physicians are that their pay would ever be cut. They're almost like federal employees in that way. Did you think that once you got on the govt. gravy train it would never end?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-72867762985132964582010-03-01T15:18:55.297-06:002010-03-01T15:18:55.297-06:00Dr. Wes,
The senator that Keith mentions, is Bunn...Dr. Wes,<br /><br />The senator that Keith mentions, is Bunning, Republican, from KY. His block also denies an extension of unemployment benefits. And stops a bunch of jobs. Even the Repubs don't like him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-48052845268718535062010-03-01T13:03:04.618-06:002010-03-01T13:03:04.618-06:00So you're in favor of the pay cuts, Wes?
If t...So you're in favor of the pay cuts, Wes?<br /><br />If they stand for a few months, many physicians will stop seeing Medicare patients. Emergency Departments will be flooded. The the patients themselves will start complaining to the polititians. <br /><br />Thirty million Medicare patients have more influence than 700,000 physicians.<br /><br />Will the Democrats use the "crisis" Steve Parker, M.D.http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-55906762360268560142010-03-01T12:55:06.919-06:002010-03-01T12:55:06.919-06:00Wes,
We all know this is only temporary while c...Wes, <br /><br />We all know this is only temporary while congress wrestles with getting the helath care bill through. In fact another patch was held up by a single Seantor who wanted to know shere the money was going to come from for restoring the present rates to physicians. Too bad he didn't ask the same questions when they passed the Medicare drug benefit plan a few years back with no Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-22415282967297401702010-03-01T12:18:27.329-06:002010-03-01T12:18:27.329-06:00I agree. Let the cuts stand and see what happens....I agree. Let the cuts stand and see what happens.The Happy Hospitalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14392872203166584371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18943510.post-85390822292734361622010-03-01T10:11:36.031-06:002010-03-01T10:11:36.031-06:00What a mess! Obviously they will fix this more tim...What a mess! Obviously they will fix this more time like before. The AMA with it's opaque dealings and playing favorites screwed cognitive medicine. Congress with it's ridiculous ego is killing whatever little autonomy is left. Physicians should stand up and show leadership, otherwise the mess gets worse. Only physicians know where waste can be removed and over treatments can be curbed, rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12357711657853902907noreply@blogger.com