There may be regional differences, too. In my area, doctors really don't like to tangle with the Medicare Advantage plans, and there are some who simply won't accept a new Medicare patient if that is their insurance. For that reason, I just went the traditional route and got a Blue Cross plan as my supplement because Blue Cross is the one they prefer above all others.
Another example is that a provider who accepts Medicare patients cannot charge you more than the Medicare approved amount unless he is set up to make private contracts, which means he may not make a slot for you if he has higher paying alternatives
Hmmmmmm. Just last week I went to a second opthamalogist to get a second opinion concerning a vision problem I'm having. (Medicare only pays for one exam a year.) I told the girls up front that I would be paying myself, not billing Medicare, for the visit. After the exam, I went to the desk, got my bill, wrote out a check for $118 which is the normal amount I paid before I went on Medicare last spring. You could be correct, of course, and the girls at this clinic simply didn't know any better. All I know is that I paid the normal, full fee for the type of exam I had.
So far I am quite pleased with Medicare. The rules are straightforward as to what is covered, allowing me then to plan as to what I might want to pay extra for for those health needs that aren't covered.
I do agree with you that the reimbursements are possibly getting so low that new, younger doctors will avoid taking Medicare patients until they've built up their practices. What I hear is already a serious problem in my area is Medicaid reimbursements. They're quite a bit lower than Medicare even, and a Medicaid recipient here has to really search to find willing doctors. |
