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Originally Posted by billethkid
I tried in 2013 to go to Mayo/Jacksonville at the recommendation of my orthopaedic surgeon for a low back condition.
They were very nice over the phone. Took about 30 minutes over the phone to register into the Mayo system. Even got a case number assigned.
Then the bad news. They said they function with a Medicare quaota and that they were at the max at the time (August 2013). I asked if they had a waiting list. I was informed they did not. But I was welcome to check back. However not to bother until after the NEW YEAR sometime!!!!!!!
They did offer me a list of surgeons who left Mayo and opened their own shops. I accepted the offering.
However, I did shift my priority to Shands in Gainesville. They did all the same info gathering. Aske for my MRI and xrays to be sent in for review prior to making an appointment. Within a week after submitting I was contacted in person by the chief of the neuro surgery department. He gave me his assessment over the phone with a recommendation. Which I pursued and had my problem treated successfully.
Since I was not in a life threatening situation I did not pursue continuing with Mayo/Jacksonville volunteering to be responsible for all payments.
First time in my life to be denied care as a medicare patient.
First time in my life to be so blatantly discriminated against.
After the fact research did yield that was in fact their policy.
One does what one needs to do. Just be aware of the options.
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Mayo does a lot of thinks differently.
Probably the biggest is that their doctors are on a salary, so their income does not depend on how many patients they can process in a day.
Which I imagine, is the reason they limit their services in regards to certain payers (i.e. Medicare).
Doctors On Salary, One Key To Mayo's Success : NPR
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WERTHEIMER: Dr. Cortese, the most interesting thing that you do, I think, at Mayo is to put your doctors on salary. Is this one of the reasons, do you think, why you have a good record on costs?
Dr. CORTESE: I think it's one of several factors that we have in place that are designed, specifically designed, to reduce the potential conflict of commitment for our physicians so that they...
WERTHEIMER: Could you just sort of explain why it would be a conflict or not a conflict?
Dr. CORTESE: Well, if your salary or the amount of money that you are paid varies depending on how much you do to people, there can be a conflict of interest for a physician because if they end up doing less, keep people healthier, they may actually make no money. And what we've tried to do at Mayo Clinic is to reduce the conflict of commitment as the salary approach - build around what's still best for patients.
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