[diskman]

In this months AARP magazine, there is a very interesting article on this.
So thought it would be a good question for TOTV

[Floridagal]

I had no problem in finding a new primary care physician. I've been here 4 years. Had no problem with any doctors.

[diskman]

thanks for r reply, thought i would hav gotten a bigger response!

[Just Susan]

Originally Posted by diskman

thanks for r reply, thought i would hav gotten a bigger response!

What did the article say that made you think this might be a problem in TV diskman? We, like most everyone else will have to do just this when we make the move.

[linandvin]

With a lot of New Yorkers in the Villages, we're asking if anyone whos if there are sufficient doctors that accept GHI (which is a northern insurance). We have found some in St. Augustine, but looking at the circle on the GHI website, they seem to be quite a distance away. Any GHI users out there? Thanks in advance.

[diskman]

susan&tom
the article was not about TV, it was about difficulties of finding a primary physician that was accepting seniors who are who have medicare when you move to retire. a problem not thought about. After i posed the question I trashed this months aarp mag.

[rozlee]

There was recent legislation that would have cut Medicare payments drastically to primary care physicians. Many docs pulled out of Medicare in anticipation. In an 11th hour vote the bill did not cut payments....delayed until later. It is a yearly on going threat and the 11th hour retreat, but this year it was 10% which brought out overwhelming letters from both patients and docs to the legislators.

[WSOX47]

FYI----It's same every year for past several years, based on legislation passed by the then Congress. Never anyone on either side of the issue completely satisfied. Trust Fund solvency, access to care, speciality MDs versus GPs; other health care provider-types. It's more complicated than just an arbitrary "cut". The basis is in that prior legislation which has a reimbursement formula--that hasn't really be implemented fully in several years, so that the adjustment figure can continue to grow.

Stats show nationally very few docs opt out, however. But if it's in your geographic area it is a concern, of course.

Complex issue, for sure.

[Just Susan]

Thanks diskman I will see if I can find it.

[zcaveman]

The question appears to be - can you find a primary care physician that takes your type of insurance.

I did find that a problem. When I first got here I had to go to Belleview in Marion county to find a PC. Since then several that accept my health insurance have appeared in the Villages.

Be sure to use the docfind in your subscriber's website or call your health telephone number so they can do the search to find a doctor in the Villages area. Fortunately there are more of them in the recent months.

[serenityseeker]

Actually stats are showing many doctors opting out and many more planning to.
In Texas and Washington state approaching 50 percent...many other states seeing similar trends develop.
According to the AMA rate cuts in the last decade have slashed physician reimbursement rates by 40%. Practice cost increase every year, an estimated 20% this year alone. Realize that most of the cuts are made on the primary care (read Internists/Family Practitioners) docs that have the most complicated patients. How can any business stand that type of loss for a decade or more. Moreover, who wants to be in that position?
An AMA survey in 2007 showed that about 60% of nearly 9000 physicians surveyed planned to at least limit the number of new Medicare patients they accept with 40% saying they expected to limit the number of existing patients in their practices with Medicare.
When the Medicare reimbursement for an office visit is less than the cost of some large pizzas we have a major problem.
No problem getting a primary care doc in your area? You won't have to wait long to see it I'm afraid. Finding specialist to take Medicare is even now becoming a problem in areas.
All of this is occurring as the average age of the population is increasing and prepares to skyrocket. We are going to see dramatically worsening access problems for seniors across the board. Something has to change. Even The Villages is not going to be insulated from this.

[diskman]

zcaveman,
no it is about a primary care physician accepting medicare patients.

[The Great Fumar]

The Feds have already stated that physicians cannot limit Medicare Patients .....Its all our Nothing......It could be a Supreme Court issue as to discrimination......

[serenityseeker]

Thats not wholly true. Physicians can and will limit what they will allow in their practice..without a doubt. Never the less, most are taking your solution of none. It is crazy to knowingly run your practice into the ground any sooner than it is being pushed anyway.
There is no law that says you must see any patientin your office, medicaire or not, nor a law saying that if you see one medicare patient you "must see them all". Medicaide is a different story in some states, so again the solution is to opt out of such a poorly administered program.
Lololol...let em take it to the supreme court and see how may physicians will participate at all then. The sheer lunacy of that speaks volumes about the system.

[rozlee]

Many docs are now employees of health systems and do have to follow the corporate plan involving these choices but...for the brave and private docs some are opting out of all insurance and doing a cash only business at a very reduced rate. Saves all the cost involved in the coding and billing rules which most people have no idea about.

In order to get paid from the "insurers" every move the docs make with the patient have to be turned into numbers and codes and be one number off and your payment will either be denied or hang in limbo. Naturally the docs have to hire a professional coder to get this right the first time. Just one of the many costs that they incur behind the scenes.