We've long chronicled the difference between health insurance and health care, and noted that simply having the former does not guarantee access to the latter.
Now, Alert Reader (and FoIB) Jeff M tips us that:
"Obamacare plans have shrunk payments to physicians so much that some doctors say they won’t be able to afford to accept Obamacare coverage"
That's not news to regular IB readers, but this may be: Connecticut internist Dr. Doug Gerard concludes that "I cannot accept a plan [in which] potentially commercial-type reimbursement rates were now going to be reimbursed at Medicare rates"
In English, this means "we can't afford to stay in business accepting only ObamaTax plan reimbursement rates."
But don't just take my word for it; as co-blogger Kelley observed just a few months ago:
"At a patient load of 7,200 patients that is $125.00 for a 15 minute appointment. This is great pay. But remember also that 80% of that total goes to pay the staff salaries and benefits, rent, utilities, as well as such government mandated programs like Electronic Medical Records and all other costs needed to keep a business running."
And when those reimbursements fall even lower, the doc has a simple decision to make: can he afford to keep seeing those patients?
Increasingly, that answer is likely to be "No."
Now, Alert Reader (and FoIB) Jeff M tips us that:
"Obamacare plans have shrunk payments to physicians so much that some doctors say they won’t be able to afford to accept Obamacare coverage"
That's not news to regular IB readers, but this may be: Connecticut internist Dr. Doug Gerard concludes that "I cannot accept a plan [in which] potentially commercial-type reimbursement rates were now going to be reimbursed at Medicare rates"
In English, this means "we can't afford to stay in business accepting only ObamaTax plan reimbursement rates."
But don't just take my word for it; as co-blogger Kelley observed just a few months ago:
"At a patient load of 7,200 patients that is $125.00 for a 15 minute appointment. This is great pay. But remember also that 80% of that total goes to pay the staff salaries and benefits, rent, utilities, as well as such government mandated programs like Electronic Medical Records and all other costs needed to keep a business running."
And when those reimbursements fall even lower, the doc has a simple decision to make: can he afford to keep seeing those patients?
Increasingly, that answer is likely to be "No."
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