As Docs Face Big Cuts In Medicaid Pay, Patients May Pay the Price
Millions of poor Americans may find it harder to find doctors.
Andy Pasternak, a family doctor in Reno, Nev., has seen more than 100 new Medicaid patients this year after the state expanded the insurance program under the Affordable Care Act.
But he won’t be taking any new ones after Dec. 31. That’s when the law’s 2-year pay raise for primary care doctors like him who see Medicaid patients expires, resulting in fee reductions of 43% on average across the country, according to the nonpartisan Urban Institute.
“I don’t want to do this,” Pasternak said about his refusal to see more Medicaid patients next year. But when the temporary pay raise goes away, he and other Nevada doctors will see their fees drop from $75 on average to less than $50 for routine office visits.
“We will lose money when they come to the office,” he said.
Filed under: General Problems
Usually the patients with medicare or Medicaid have complex medical problems. It’s embarrassing to know that Medicare pays so little. I can see the doctors limiting the amount of patients he can afford. I have been denied appointments so it has already happened to me. Then if medications are needed such as narcotics he is committed to every 30 days doubling the work for the doctor and pharmacists.
Sorry, not buying this one. Drs are they highest paid profession in the US, aside from CEO’s, and investors. I’ve yet to meet one doctor who isn’t making a decent salary. Perhaps the Medicaid docs can’t afford there homes in Aspen and Hawaii, but they certainly are not hurting. My husband is an attorney, and he has a staff of three. If he got paid minimum $300.00/hour, we would be sitting pretty, and that includes salaries, overhead and all the costs! Think about the last time you went to the doctor, and how much time they spent with you. Ten minutes? I challenge you to time it, because I have. It averages six to seven minutes a patient. You do the math. I’m sorry, but people go to medical school anymore to get rich, not heal. They feel that they are “owed” a huge salary. Only in the US, where socialized medicine can’t happen. In the socialized countries, Drs. make a regular salary. I bet they would love to make $300.00 an hour. In case you can’t do the math, 300/hour X 40 hours/ week = 12,000.00. 12,000. X 50 weeks = 624,000/year, and that doesn’t include any special procedures. I’ll trade them anyday!
maybe you should read this survey… the GP/FP is making the same or less than a member of in Congress.. and there is no educational requirement to be a member of Congress http://www.healthcare-salaries.com/physicians/general-practitioner-salary-gp
There is a lot of financial overhead besides the prescriber’s time seeing a pt.. like most small business people.. everyone else gets paid before they see a dime.. The Medicare/Medicaid/Obamacare in particular.. they fix prices for medical services that don’t cover the cost of providing the service. Of course, the entities making these decisions does not have the word “profit” in their dictionary only the words SURPLUS and most used… DEFICIT … Until pts start having trouble finding care and start complaining LOUDLY.. to their FED representatives.. nothing is going to change.. Looks like we are starting to head down that path…
So does this mean he’d rather get nothing then get fifty dollars for a ten minute or less visit? Has it gotten so bad that a doctor who vows to do no harm won’t see patients because they might loose twenty five bucks? Kind of brings it all home doesn’t it..