Gip, you can't be too happy about this developing crisis. 8% Cut in Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement Rates Cause Doctors to Leave Michigan
My doc just told me on Friday that he is expecting 34% reduction in his Medicare reimbursements over the next three years. He is closing his nuclear stress lab testing facility because he can not even be reimbursed the cost of keeping the equipment running. He is suggesting that most docs starting their practice now can expect to make $120-140K annually.
A friend's son who was planning to be a doctor switched during his time at IU to the RN program. He has graduated and while working is pursuing the highest level of competence for an RN (physician's assistant?) in the cardiology field. The reason? He will make around $150,000 per year and won't have the concerns of an MD re: onerous liability insurance.
I'm not so sure that the article is hitting on the main issue. First of all, Michigan is losing population. That alone should result in professionals who service the general population would also leave the state. Second, and I think the most critical issue is the loss of the union jobs with the "cadillac" health care plans. For decades Michigan has been an attractive market for physicians because of the numbers of UAW workers and other union empolyees who work in auto related companies. Many of these suppliers have gone bankrupt and the union contracts with generous healt care benefits are no longer in effect. I think doctors could afford to take medicare and medicade patients as long as they had patients with quality health care coverage. Now that is not longer the case. Oh, and the reason for the medicare cuts was to make the damn Health Care bill look deficit neutral. Perhaps if that demon finally dies, they'll restore the money cut in reinbursement. Michigan isn't the only state having problems with the medicare cuts. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aHoYSI84VdL0
Excellent points, Gip. You added a lot of substance to what the article focused on. Your explanation sheds light on what also is happening in some auto industry-dependent cities in Indiana, like Anderson, a city which has been in a state of denial for many years about the decline of the auto industry, the loss of cadillac health plans, and the population shrinkage. As a result, its school district is in desperate financial straits, and the city's economy is in the tank.
.........busted :wink: This is what I have been saying for over a year now. Dentists....doctors......no one left in Michigan can afford going to these guys. Eventually healthcare costs will explode in this country because people are most likely forgoing preventative care and even primary care when they have symptoms because there are more pressing bills to pay like mortgages on underwater homes, etc. Sorry to say I understand the economic reasons why people are not visiting the doctor/dentist unfortunately. This is just one problem of the economic meltdown......the other is loss of state tax revenue. States are going broke and will have no way to recoup the loss stemming from the loss of our manufacturing base. Welcome to America....circa 2010. It seems like the only one other than me on this board that is either young enough or working in mainstream type jobs for mainstream type income with exorbitantly priced mainstream healthcare coverage is Corey. I could be wrong but the rest of you are either at the senior level of your careers with good companies that still have healthcare, own your own company or you are wealthy and retired from state/civil positions that still provide for their retirees unlike the private sector. Either way you don't get a heaping dose of the reality the rest of us are getting in America.
Three years ago we had an election for governor between an individual who ran as an entrepreneur and a job maker and our labor stooge liberal Democrat who ran "against the Bush economic policies." (not having any coherent policies of her own.) Well the labor guys got thier gal. We're the third worst rated state for job creation. You get the the government you deserve. Wonder who you voted for Dave?
Superman couldn't have saved Michigan Gipper........not even Tim Tebow could have.. Well....maybe Krebsie could have with his isolationist.....only buy American made car policies because there are no foreign cars available!!!!!
Wouldn't have mattered if he ran against a Dem labor stooge ranting against GWB. He would have lost. The ironic part is our ms. Gov. keeps stressing education. If only she was talking about education our population instead of cowtowing to the teacher's union.
Uh... I'm certainly still in the "group" that is worried about insurance, and I can tell you I sure as hell don't want the government running it! I've got plenty of bills to pay, but unlike some folks around the country I manage my money rather than running out and buying every little gadget I see and worrying about the bill later. What we have now is a massive group of folks who somehow think they should have everything they want inmediately, and to hell with actually saving up to pay for it. When credit suddenly tightened they were up sh!t creek without a paddle. Please don't ask me to feel sorry for them, or worse PAY FOR THEM because I have been cautious enough to always watch my pennies. :roll:
I don't know who the hell you think you are to keep throwing these insults but I for one am damn tired of it.
Stu....my apologies but everyone else seems quite happy with their soaring healthcare costs or at least don't feel it is worth commenting on.....or they don't fall into that category. Don't hear many complaints about the state of things either except incredulously... just for the way things have gone the last 12 months. Prior to Jan. 21st last year everything was just peachy I guess. It's that thinking that makes me want to withhold comments in the Backroom.
I choose not to post much in the backroom. But let me tell you that health care costs have been ridiculous for most of my career. It will continue to be as long as every person who feels they didn't get exactly what they want from doctors and hospitals sue for money they "are entitled to". And before anyone starts about medical mistakes, I know these are real and people should be compensated. But for every one that's real there are 10 more frivolous suits driving up the costs. The next problem is not getting an exact diagnosis is not acceptable anymore. This means doctors laying hands on and telling you what they think is wrong is out the window. Most people feel they need every test and CT known to man to get an exact diagnosis, which most of the time is the same guess the doctor would have given without all the tests. Disclaimer: Just the opinion of a healthcare professional.
You beat me to the keyboard Tom.... I wanted to add two other qualifiers to "The Club"...... 1) loss of job in the worst economy since the Depression 2) loss of home value and in a position of having to sell it because of having to relocate for a new job It's a fun club..... :roll:
29 years which is well over half of her life. 29 years of building the official nickname of: "She who must be obeyed" 29 years of building the unofficial nickname of: B.I.T.C.H. (Babe In Total Control of Herself) which sometimes morphs into B.I.T.C.H.H. (Babe In Total Control of Her Husband) 29 years of building a career from a LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) to a Clinical Manager of a very busy Emergency Department. I may be a little prejudice but I would take the word and experience of Cindy on anything medical over that of most doctors. No disrespect to any Skybox Docs.
Cindy You work in an ER. Do you turn away uninsured patients? If they don't have insurance and you have to treat them, where do hospitals get sufficient funds to stay afloat?
By law, emergency departments can't turn away anyone who presents to be seen. Because of this charity care write offs are a financial way of life. Hospitals must provide to the government data to support the amount of charity care given every year and a nominal compensation is given. This amount in no way covers the expense incurred. It is the cost of doing business in America these days.