Doctor Retiring Over “ObamaCare”
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Categories: Medicare Tags: Doctor, over, Retiring, “ObamaCare”
Finding a New Doctor Becoming More Difficult for Medicare
For some Medicare recipients, the search for a new primary care physician has become more difficult, according to a 2008 survey conducted by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). Compounding this trend is an estimate from the Physicians (ACP) that there won’t be enough internists to go around by 2025. The ACP also indicates that current internists are becoming less willing to accept new Medicare patients. According to Alan Weinstock, an insurance agent at www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com, many physicians are opting out of Medicare due to low reimbursement rates and too much paperwork. With all these trends converging at once, Weinstock believes Medicare recipients need to shop early to find the best doctor—before they turn 65.
“The impact on seniors of physicians opting out of the Medicare program hasn’t been a serious problem yet,” said Weinstock. “But if large numbers of physicians join the group that is opting out, it may be difficult for seniors to have access to affordable health care.”
This is why it is important for the 40 million Americans who have Medicare insurance to start early in their hunt for a physician who has not opted out of Medicare. It is equally important that seniors take the time to determine the best Medicare supplement insurance coverage, since Medicare often does not cover all health care costs.
Robert Dowell of , understands full well the need to have someone knowledgeable when searching for the best Medicare supplement plan. “It’s traumatic turning 65 and entering an unknown area of new healthcare. So many questions…wondering if you asked the correct ones and were given all the correct facts.” But Dowell found all the answers he needed at www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com and says that now he “has a clear path on how to control my health needs.”
For some Medicare recipients, the search for a new primary care physician has become more difficult, according to a 2008 survey conducted by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). Compounding this trend is an estimate from the Physicians (ACP) that there won’t be enough internists to go around by 2025. The ACP also indicates that current internists are becoming less willing to accept new Medicare patients. According to Alan Weinstock, an insurance agent at www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com, many physicians are opting out of Medicare due to low reimbursement rates and too much paperwork. With all these trends converging at once, Weinstock believes Medicare recipients need to shop early to find the best doctor—before they turn 65.
“The impact on seniors of physicians opting out of the Medicare program hasn’t been a serious problem yet,” said Weinstock. “But if large numbers of physicians join the group that is opting out, it may be difficult for seniors to have access to affordable health care.”
This is why it is important for the 40 million Americans who have Medicare insurance to start early in their hunt for a physician who has not opted out of Medicare. It is equally important that seniors take the time to determine the best Medicare supplement insurance coverage, since Medicare often does not cover all health care costs.
Robert Dowell of , understands full well the need to have someone knowledgeable when searching for the best Medicare supplement plan. “It’s traumatic turning 65 and entering an unknown area of new healthcare. So many questions…wondering if you asked the correct ones and were given all the correct facts.” But Dowell found all the answers he needed at www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com and says that now he “has a clear path on how to control my health needs.”
Obama’s Former Doctor Attacks Health Care Plan
Dr. David Scheiner, former doctor of President Obama, appeared on Lou Dobbs’ TV show to criticize his patient’s new health care proposal. He says Obama shouldn’t expand Medicaid because it is “not a good system”, and their patients are treated in a “third class fashion… that’s not the American way of life.” Dr. Scheiner also adds that Medicare needs to be “tightened up.” Dobbs closed the interview by suggesting he should get together with his former patient and talk over “a beer at the White House.”
Medicare Australia and Seeing a Doctor: nib Health Insurance Explained
www.nib.com.au nib Health Insurance Explained Medicare Australia and Seeing a Doctor. Medicare is run by the Australian Government and is funded by Australian tax payers. Medicare provides Australians with access to public healthcare and the ability to claim some medical expenses. Who is covered by Medicare? Medicare covers people residing in Australia who are Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens or holders of permanent visas. Some visitors and temporary residents, from countries with which Australia has made reciprocal health care agreements, are eligible for Medicare with some restrictions – visit the Medicare Australia website for more information. What funds do I contribute to Medicare? Australian taxpayers contribute a Medicare Levy of 1.5% of their taxable income. The Medicare Levy Surcharge is an additional 1% in tax that you may have to pay if your annual taxable income is above the Medicare Levy Surcharge thresholds and you do not have an appropriate level of private hospital cover. What is covered by Medicare? Benefits covered by Medicare include: – A stay in a public hospital as a public patient – Part of the cost of pharmaceutical prescriptions, through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. – Part of the cost of GP and specialist consultants through the Medicare Benefits Schedule. – Part or whole consultation fees for doctors, including specialists. – Part or the whole cost of tests and examinations by doctors needed to treat illnesses, including X-rays and …
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Higher Medicare Co-pays Mean Fewer Doctor Visits
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A large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine recently revealed that higher Medicare co-pays, sometimes only a few dollars more, lead to fewer doctor visits and longer hospital stays.
“Keeping seniors healthy by encouraging outpatient care, especially for those who have chronic diseases, is important and valuable,” said Alan Weinstock, insurance broker at http://www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com. “Increasing co-pays by even just a few dollars may discourage someone from seeking the treatment they need.”
The study, funded by grants from Pfizer, Inc., and the federal government, included nearly 900,000 seniors in 36 Medicare managed-care plans between 2001 and 2006. Half of the plans raised co-pays during this period, some by as much as 100 percent. They compared how these medical plans were used against how similar Medicare managed-care plans that did not raise co-pays were used. They found that for every 100 people enrolled in a plan that raised co-pays, there were 20 fewer doctor visits and two additional hospital admissions with longer stays.
As health care costs have climbed, insurance companies have passed the increases along to patients, resulting in higher out-of-pocket expenses when they seek medical care. Unfortunately, this has resulted in too many older patients on a fixed income deferring needed medical attention. The end result may be a more serious health issue that could put them in the hospital. When that happens, no one benefits.
“Ultimately, this kind of action may actually lead to higher health care costs instead of lowering them,” Alan Weinstock added. What these results suggest is that raising co-pays in order to contain rising medical costs is actually counterproductive.
A previous study on increased patient cost sharing conducted in 1972 for California’s Medicaid program showed the same results. At that time, a $1 co-pay was introduced. This led to an eight percent decline in doctor visits and a 17 percent increase in hospital stays.
The research suggests is that in order to hold medical costs down, it is wiser to encourage a proactive view on medical care. That means ensuring that seniors can afford preventative care in order to avoid hospital stays.
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Medigap Insurance is a private health insurance designed to supplement original Medicare.Medigap premiums are standardized insurance plans available with different benefits.
Blue Cross? doctor says smoking ban will save lives, reduce health care costs
Michigan’s workplace smoking ban will help to save hundreds of lives from preventable heart attacks, strokes and upper respiratory diseases and save taxpayers and insured individuals millions of dollars, said Thomas Simmer, M.D., chief medical officer with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in Detroit.
After more than a decade of debate, Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the law Friday at the Michigan Brewing Co. in Webberville.
The ban, which goes into effect in May, applies to bars, restaurants and work places, except for the Detroit casinos, cigar bars and tobacco specialty stores.
“Nearly 15,000 die each year from their own smoking,” said Simmer. Another 1,300 to 2,400 die each year from second-hand smoke in Michigan, he said.
“Many of these people are patrons and employees who can’t escape the smoke,” Simmer said.
Smoking increases annual health care costs in Michigan by $3.4 billion, including $1.1 billion in additional Medicaid costs, according to the state Department of Community Health.
Medicaid recipients who smoke seek physician care and are hospitalized for a wide variety of smoking-related maladies, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma, heart attacks and strokes, Simmer said.
“Saving tax dollars is an important thing,” Simmer said.
But the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, which was opposed to the smoking ban, said it would cost the state thousands of jobs as bar patrons who smoke will spend their money elsewhere.
On the other hand, Simmer said businesses also lose $3.8 billion in lost worker productivity because of workers who smoke, he said.
“The burden business has to pay in lost productivity is very high,” Simmer said. “We can do better.”
Several Blue Cross products, including Healthy Blue Living, offer premium discounts for people who quit smoking.
“We expect an uptick” in people seeking wellness-type insurance products that have a smoking cessation feature, he said.
Simmer said Blue Cross is studying the health care cost impact of people who have quit smoking in its Healthy Blue product line.
Some 18 months after Pueblo, Colo., enacted a smoking ban in 2003, hospital admissions for heart attacks dropped by 27 percent while admissions in neighboring towns without smoking bans showed no change.
“We don’t have any hard data yet, but we believe it has reduced costs,” he said.
Earlier this week, the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation in Ann Arbor issued a report that concluded Michigan’s personal health care spending is the lowest of any other Midwest state.
“I believe this (smoking ban) will help us continue to experience a lower health care cost trend than other Great Lake states,” Simmer said.
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Categories: Medicaid doctors Tags: Blue, Care, Costs, Cross, Doctor, Health, lives, reduce, Save, says, Smoking
Doctor Who “Timelord Retirement Club” – Gallifrey Masquerade 2009
The tenth doctor comes across his former selves in this skit performed at the 2009 Gallifrey Convention that won “The Judges Choice Award.” FAIR WARNING: This was a sketch comedy written specifically for Doctor Who fans so there’s a ton of inside fanboy humor. If you’re not familiar enough with the subject matter, you won’t get the jokes. You have been warned. original sketch written by Bob Mitsch Original opening music by Scott Sebring ( I gave myself permission to use my own bloody music, thank you)
Categories: Retirement Tags: 2009, Club., Doctor, Gallifrey, Masquerade, Retirement, Timelord
Find a Doctor For the Elderly
It is important that when you are looking for a doctor to care for your elderly parent you find one that except Medicaid or Medicare. When searching for a doctor it is always a good idea to get a recommendation from a family member or friend. This will allow you to have medical care from somebody that you can trust. There are also great resources online for you to search for a doctor to get the proper elderly care that you need. You may have two talk with several doctors to find the one that will meet your needs best. All doctors are different and they interact differently with each patient.
Find a: Doctor for Elderly
It can be difficult if you have a friend or parent that is getting older and is in need of care. You want to make sure you find a doctor that specializes in geriatrics so that they can get properly cared for. Once you have found two or three doctors that meets your needs you want to search online and see if you can find feedback from other patients. This will allow you to narrow your search down to find the physician that will care for your elderly parent. You want to feel confident that the doctor you are using will give them the best care possible.
How to: Find a Doctor
Remember that if you are looking for a doctor to care for your elderly friend or parent than you want to get a recommendation from a friend or family member. It is important that you find a physician that can treat this elderly person with the best care possible.
Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Health. For more information go to: http://www.easydoctors.com
Categories: Medicaid doctors Tags: Doctor, Elderly, Find
Powerful & Practical! By A Doctor Who Cured Herself Of Cancer!
In Healing Cancer Peacefully, Dr. Nancy Offenhauser Tells Her Amazing Story And Leads The Reader Step By Step Through A Wide Range Of Natural Cancer-fighting Medicines And Modalities. This New Book Is Being Heavily Promoted In Multiple Media!
Powerful & Practical! By A Doctor Who Cured Herself Of Cancer!
Senator LeMieux: Its Not Health Care Reform If the Doctor is Not In…
US Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) called attention to a new report indicating the major health care bill in the Senate will increase the cost of medical care and reduce Americans access to quality medical treatment. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the bill, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), will increase the nations overall health care spending, above current projections.