Doctors Brace for Heavy Medicare Cuts

[longknife]

You were warned it was coming!!! This from Big Government [Yes Lefties, the Breitbart blog]

With the irresolution on Capital Hill and increasing likelihood of going over the fiscal cliff, doctors should prepare not only for the implementation of Obamacare and associated taxes and paperwork but also for substantial Medicare cuts.

Quoting a doctor requesting anonymity,

...one other thing about the fiscal cliff that I just learned is that effective January 1st Medicare will pay doctors 27% less. They usually pass some sort of a "doctor fix" law because people don't want that (doctors would turn away Medicare patients and angry seniors would storm the capitol). But that duty will likely fall to the new congress to pass yet another temporary doctor fix. And if they don't fix it then insurance companies will also happily follow suit and cut their payments to doctors by 27%. Also the Obamacare trend of paying bad hospitals less and good hospitals more will begin on January 1st as well, but that's unavoidable at this point.

Read more @ Doctors Brace for Heavy Medicare Cuts

 

[Mad Scientist]

So THAT'S how you make things cheaper! You just cut it!

 

[syrenn]

this is where we can all laugh, point and say i told you so, right?

 

[Greenbeard]

The SGR is a ghost of GOP deficit reduction schemes past.

Health Policy 101

What is the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR)?


The Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) is a formula that came out of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 as a mechanism to determine how much physicians should be compensated for services to Medicare patients. The formula is largely based on GDP, which is a gross measure of the economy. Initially the formula worked as health care costs in the late 90’s increased commensurately with the economy. However, as healthcare costs began to outpace inflation, the SGR began to fall short of the actual cost of health care services.

Since 2003, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have passed short term “doc fixes” to prevent any actual decrease in physician reimbursement from the SGR. Over time this has accumulated to a deficit of over $300 billion. The next “doc fix” is set to expire at the end of 2012, and if unaddressed the 10 year deferred effect of the SGR would abruptly lower Medicare physician compensation by as much as 27%.

It is likely that Congress will discuss another “doc fix,” however in light of budget constraints already posed by the $1.2 trillion across-the-board cuts from the sequester (Budget Control Act of 2011), lawmakers may find this difficult.

The House Ways and Means committee has been exploring an alternative reform that could replace the SGR, however a solution has not yet been reached.

 

[Political Junky]

You were warned it was coming!!! This from Big Government [Yes Lefties, the Breitbart blog]

With the irresolution on Capital Hill and increasing likelihood of going over the fiscal cliff, doctors should prepare not only for the implementation of Obamacare and associated taxes and paperwork but also for substantial Medicare cuts.

Quoting a doctor requesting anonymity,

...one other thing about the fiscal cliff that I just learned is that effective January 1st Medicare will pay doctors 27% less. They usually pass some sort of a "doctor fix" law because people don't want that (doctors would turn away Medicare patients and angry seniors would storm the capitol). But that duty will likely fall to the new congress to pass yet another temporary doctor fix. And if they don't fix it then insurance companies will also happily follow suit and cut their payments to doctors by 27%. Also the Obamacare trend of paying bad hospitals less and good hospitals more will begin on January 1st as well, but that's unavoidable at this point.

Read more @ Doctors Brace for Heavy Medicare Cuts

Any legit sources?

 

[tap4154]

We need to pay our "representatives" 50% less, and pay docs better!

Obama pisses away enough taxpayer cash living the high life, playing golf, and vacationing that could cover that 27%!

 

[LilOlLady]

who created the need for big government? Bush and the Republicans that supported him and his reckless spending and borrowing.

Republicans Become the Party of Big Government
Chris Edwards and Tad DeHaven
February 2, 2004

Even before the release of the new federal budget, President Bush’s budget chief Josh Bolten has begun the damage control. On one flank, the president is trying to ward off the increasing despair in his conservative base caused by his huge spending increases and big deficits. On another flank, the mainstream media are beginning to run front-page stories on the administration’s fiscal irresponsibility.


The administration’s other argument is that spending has been driven by defense and national security needs. That was also a good excuse for awhile, but the administration should have been working on reform ideas to cut domestic spending to offset defense increases. Defense is certainly a high-priority spending area, but the administration has not identified low-priority spending areas that could be cut. Indeed, Bush has signed every spending bill that crossed his desk while his veto pen has collected dust.
Republicans Become the Party of Big Government | Chris Edwards, Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute

 

[dblack]

who created the need for big government? Bush and the Republicans that supported him and his reckless spending and borrowing.

At this point, I can't care who started it. How are we going to get rid of it?

 

[Sarah G]

this is where we can all laugh, point and say i told you so, right?

Only if you take Brietbart seriously. This is just more bullshit from that particular rag.

 

[Caroljo]

who created the need for big government? Bush and the Republicans that supported him and his reckless spending and borrowing.

Republicans Become the Party of Big Government
Chris Edwards and Tad DeHaven
February 2, 2004

Even before the release of the new federal budget, President Bush’s budget chief Josh Bolten has begun the damage control. On one flank, the president is trying to ward off the increasing despair in his conservative base caused by his huge spending increases and big deficits. On another flank, the mainstream media are beginning to run front-page stories on the administration’s fiscal irresponsibility.


The administration’s other argument is that spending has been driven by defense and national security needs. That was also a good excuse for awhile, but the administration should have been working on reform ideas to cut domestic spending to offset defense increases. Defense is certainly a high-priority spending area, but the administration has not identified low-priority spending areas that could be cut. Indeed, Bush has signed every spending bill that crossed his desk while his veto pen has collected dust.
Republicans Become the Party of Big Government | Chris Edwards, Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute

IT WAS BBBBBUUUUUUUSSSSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!

Lol! ya....all this BIG government is all because of Bush! He isn't president and hasn't been for 4 years....everything now is all on Barry's lap and he gets the CREDIT! All of you keep screaming that Barry needed 4 MORE YEARS because it was too big of a mess to fix the first 4 years. Ok.....I hope you're still here at the end of this 4 years, it'll be interesting to hear the excuses you make then! Idiot!~