Those of us that are veterans or recieve Medicare should be aware of the latest White House and Pentagon rush to reduce your benefits. How you say! They are asking Congress to reduce the payments to Doctors and Hospitals for medical services recieved by Vets and those on Medicare. So What? Well, it is more and more likely that medical facilities and doctors are not going to accept patients who use Tricare or Medicare. Which means those of us traveling and need medical help are going to have to look harder, accept less, or go without medical services. Although Tricare is my secondary payer, doctors that do not accept Tricare means that I will pay for what my primary insurance does not pay!
I am letting my Congress people know that I do not support this at all and ask them to fight any backdoor attempt to reduce medical benefits. I guess it is easier for the politicans to say the government pays too much to the medical professionals than it is to say we need to increase fees for the Vets and Medicare eligible older people.
I am not looking for an discussion about how much the government pays or a political fight about those Democrats or Republicans here, you do what you think is best for you - some will say "Silence is Golden" and we should not rock the boat, others will make their voices heard. Either way -- It is your decision, I am just giving you what has been reported in the Denver area Newspaper and Television.

The nation refuses to accept a tax increase to pay for the extraordinarily expensive war. The money has to come from somewhere. With the continuing deficit growth and commensurate weakening of the dollar, there is little wiggle room. What we need is an honest national dialog on the priorities adjustments that are badly needed. But, I'm not very optimistic about such a discussion taking place. When TV reality shows pass for "reality" for most Americans, what hope can we really have

Certainly, a back door cut in benefits to vets and Medicare patients is a sorry and dishonest approach to a budget. If I'm not mistaken, we already had one such cut at the beginning of this year. The time frame on some of my high priority testing was lengthened from 1 year to 2 years. I also think there have already been some cuts for doctors.

We've already seen many doctors that will not accept Tricare. In Colorado Springs, where there are four military bases, it is getting difficult to find a good doctor, particularly one that accepts Tricare.

Our government made promises to us veterans, but they can't honor those promises.

JMHO

Marv

How about documenting the post with some sources? I have been following the issue for some time but what I read is not exactly what you have posted.

Where can we get confirmation of your facts? Could you post a link or some source?

There was an article about this in the Billings MT paper today.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/24/news/state/24-baucus.txt

Kirk, I can't quote specifics on where I have read the same thing but I have certainly read it in several instances with likly sources being the Dallas Morning News, the Albuquerque Journal and a few other places I have spent time. I think I have even seen it on the TV news at least once. I personally have been told that the Dr. is not accepting any new Medicare patients. Once was by a Dr's office where I had been seen and had minor surgery, but hadn't seen in just over 3 years. They were considering anyone not seen in 2 years or less as a new patient. One place was a Methodist medical clinic and no Dr in the clinic was accepting Medicare patients. I believe this is the wave of the future and it is a back door way to cut the budget but can I prove it? No.
As I was typing I think I remember President Bush stated once in a speech I heard that he intended to do this but I am not sure so take this with a grain of caution as to the fact.

Marvmarcy is correct about Tricare in Colorado Springs, CO. I am not military, nor am I medicare yet (7 months to go). There was a newspaper article and a local Dr. said he was considering dropping Tricare because he was not getting paid in a timely manner,and some accounts were not being paid at all. I took notice of this article, because the Dr. is a specialist that I would like to see while in Colorado Springs, and it looks like I may not be able to consult with him. He has the same medical condition that I have, and is very informed about it,which is why I wanted to see him, while other specialists know nothing about it.

Hubby has an appointment in Quartzsite,AZ tomorrow...they didn't blink an eye when he said he was on Medicare.

Kirk
As I mentioned it was posted in the Denver Post and also on the local TV stations. I will try to get an exact date but you could also look it up if research what pending bills are before Congress. I will look that up tonight and try to get a house or senate bill. I applaud you for asking specifics and I should have included them but I have been a little busy with trying to sell the house and have simmered on this too long. I will get back with everyone on the house/senate bill number.

It is certainly true that many doctors are reluctant at best, to accept new patients who are on Medicare and that has been true for some time. I did see something about there being such for some procedures, but not across the board.

One thing is clear and that is that it sure won't hurt to write your congressmen and express your opinion, either way. What is puzzling to me is the fact that most major insurance plans also negotiate rates that they pay for services and very often they are as low, or at times lower than for Medicare. I think that part of the problem is that many doctors just don't want to fool with the paperwork that goes with such patients.

As much as Medicare could be improved, the fact is that if we had universal care I suspect it would be no better and perhaps worse. I have great distrust of government for vital services.

Kirk
Having googled the cuts in Vets and Medicare I found several references, however none in the Congressional websites. A lot from conservative groups (maybe too conservative) but a couple of the middle of the road groups like a Cornell University Government and Community Relations report call the "Washington Report" (Medicare payment cuts) and a MOAA website on legislative actions discussing a cut in payments to doctors that will take effect this year if congress does pass a bill to reverse it. I will keep looking but you can read those two and more. I haven't seen anything on the congressional record because these are in the President's medicare and military budget requests. Also on your last post, could not agree with you more --we certainly do not want what the Candians have as far as universal health care...I have talked to my doctors several times concderning payments and they all say that there should be a better way, but I have agrued with both the hospitals/doctors financial services people and TRICARE about payments not made so I get the bill ... it is usually a hospital/doctor's administrative staffer who fails to provide the right information or codes or fails to read the EOB correctly so it is on both sides I fear...we are just in the middle.

The paperwork is actually pretty minimal for most patients and procedures and is almost all automated. If you submit the claim correctly (not hard with modern tools) you get a statement back in a few weeks telling you what was deposited to your account and what claims had problems.

Unless you get involved in a new procedure that isn't in the system that is all that is involved. New procedures can take a couple phone calls to get the details right but they usually go through too.

I got involved in this when I made the mistake of telling my doctor that I'd be glad to look at their computer. I now know far more about medical records processing than I care to and my current doctor has no idea that I own a computer.

Having lived places where they had government health care as well as "enjoying" the benefits of the military health care system I'm not looking forward to going back to a completely government controlled system. If you are google Canada and Great Brittan health care.

.....there is another option- it is a private insurance policy between the Physicians and your self -it's called self insured- I use it for my teeth and I give the dentist $600 up front each year in cash and I have NO tooth problems as they are all covered by him or a hospital on an emergency basis....talk to your Dr. and see what you can work out..........Personally I don't take any insurance or 3rd party payer anymore-all I take is full pay......but then again I'm retired and don't see a lot of clients anymore....except on Tuesdays and then it is a free clinic from 7-10Pm at two locations......which is paid for by the Council of Alcoholism in this state....I have a friend that got 23 cents out of every billable dollar in 2007.....He gave up his private practice and works for a Hospital now and while taking a billing cut he gets all the money for each hour he is on call or on the floor.....and Malpractice [$14.00 a patient-average] is paid for by the hospital...!....geofkaye

firepup,

Can you tell which budget year is under discussion? The federal government budget usually exist in three phases or more. When I was involved in helping some with the Defense Department budget, many years ago, I learned that there "current, budget, and build years," all separated by one year. Labels may now be different, so talking of the budget year is a better nomenclature. The actual spending "reality" varies considerably depending on which cycle is under discussion.

Federal budgeting is an abysmal "art." Only the very cynical have the proper attitude to understand how it works. Career employees are constantly encourage to provide unrealisticly low estimates of the cost of new projects, so that high level politicians can get their favorite vote buying scheme started. Just look at the current war. It was supposed to cost 60 billion. It is now up to 600 billion. Other abuses are heard regularly in the media - bridges to nowhere, etc.

All this rambling aside, I actually believe that cuts have been made and more are planned. I'd just like to have a bit more info before I write to my congressman. Thanks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jim Epting,

Here is the latest that I can find on this issue.

Military Officer's Assoc. of America

quote:

Action Alert
Stop Medicare/TRICARE Payment Cuts

Unless Congress acts in the next few months, Medicare and TRICARE payments to doctors will be cut by nearly 10% in July of 2008 and an additional 5% in January 2009. That will hurt military families' access to health care by causing more doctors to stop seeing Medicare and TRICARE patients.

Please send a MOAA-suggested message urging your legislators to reverse these cuts before Congress adjourns this year.

And the other side is that any cuts mean private insurance will also increase. The cost of medicare (not military care or Tricare) has never been fully paid by the government. Much of the difference is then shifted to the private sector resulting in higher private medical premiums. Resulting in fewer being able to afford the cost and causing more need for government assistance. A circular catch-22 seemingly beyond repair. At least until, as someone else said, we can have a frank, honest and open dialog without political maneuvering and gamesmanship. I am still holding my breath.

To Jim Epting, this was the case long before the Iraq war you seem to insist on inserting at every possibility. In my work having been dealing with these issues for 26 years.