Guest guest Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 , I'm not sure the patients struggle as much as we do in the decision making process...as a generality. Patient looks at extra cost -- says, sorry doc, it's a money thing, see ya' around town -- and they are gone from the practice. We make the same monetary decision and drop an insurer and we are money-grubbing docs. BTW, does anyone know how the Medicare Advantage works? If I am signed up with Humana and the patient is signed up for Medicare Advantage through Humana -- does that mean I can accept their insurance? Or do I have to sign up special for Humana Medicare Advantage to be able to accept them? Locke, MD From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Brady, MDSent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 5:42 AMTo: Subject: RE: Re: Medicaid opt-out? , What is interesting is that I have had the opposite thing happen lately. I have had a fare number of patients leave my office because they have changed to the Medicare Advantage plans (which I don’t want to sign up with for multiple philosophical reasons). Most of the time, the insurance representative tells the patient that “you can see any doc you want as long as they are signed up with us.” Unfortunately, patients rarely check to see if I am on the list prior to changing. Afterward, they say, “oh well, I needed to save money.” It is interesting, us docs have been struggling with the decision for years now with whether to sign on to parasitic payment plans in order to preserve our relationship with our patients. Now our patients are having to struggle with exactly the same thing. Of course, the main casualty is the ever failing relationship with our patients. -----Original Message-----From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Locke's in ColoradoSent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:26 PMTo: Subject: RE: Re: Medicaid opt-out? That's part of the reason I've stayed signed up for Medicare/Medicaid.I hate to see long time patients forced to go elsewhere due to me not takingtheir insurance.Probably not a sound business decision, but it assists in continuity as onegrows old with your practice. Locke, MD-----Original Message-----From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of sharkinnSent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 6:50 PMTo: Subject: Re: Medicaid opt-out?Thanks, Jean. That's a good point about the possibility of a long-time patient going onto Medicaid. I will rethink...---Sharlene > > >> > > I am in upstate NY, starting a new IMP this summer. Is there > > > something I have to do specifically to opt out of Medicaid,since I> > > accept it under my current employer? I will be participating in > > > Medicare, unless they cut our pay by 10% this summer. ---Sharlene> > >> >> > > >> > > > --> If you are a patient please allow up to 4-8 hours for a reply byemail/> please note the new email address/> e mail may not be entirely secure/> MD> > > ph fax > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 , Philosophically speaking…it is like rubbing together two sides of the same cloth. Both sides feel heat from the friction. Both sides get frustrated in the other side as neither wants to be hurt. Both feel powerless to stop the gigantic fingers from rubbing them together. Unfortunately, the end result is a big hole in the fabric and in the larger sense a useless pair of jeans. Re: Medicaid opt-out? Thanks, Jean. That's a good point about the possibility of a long- time patient going onto Medicaid. I will rethink...---Sharlene > > > > > > I am in upstate NY, starting a new IMP this summer. Is there > > > something I have to do specifically to opt out of Medicaid, since I > > > accept it under my current employer? I will be participating in > > > Medicare, unless they cut our pay by 10% this summer. --- Sharlene > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > If you are a patient please allow up to 4-8 hours for a reply by email/ > please note the new email address/ > e mail may not be entirely secure/ > MD > > > ph fax > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 In Illinois, If you see them and bill them you accept Medicare Advantage. If not, you aren't. Locke's in Colorado wrote: , I'm not sure the patients struggle as much as we do in the decision making process...as a generality. Patient looks at extra cost -- says, sorry doc, it's a money thing, see ya' around town -- and they are gone from the practice. We make the same monetary decision and drop an insurer and we are money-grubbing docs. BTW, does anyone know how the Medicare Advantage works? If I am signed up with Humana and the patient is signed up for Medicare Advantage through Humana -- does that mean I can accept their insurance? Or do I have to sign up special for Humana Medicare Advantage to be able to accept them? Locke, MD From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Brady, MDSent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 5:42 AMTo: Subject: RE: Re: Medicaid opt-out? , What is interesting is that I have had the opposite thing happen lately. I have had a fare number of patients leave my office because they have changed to the Medicare Advantage plans (which I don’t want to sign up with for multiple philosophical reasons). Most of the time, the insurance representative tells the patient that “you can see any doc you want as long as they are signed up with us.” Unfortunately, patients rarely check to see if I am on the list prior to changing. Afterward, they say, “oh well, I needed to save money.” It is interesting, us docs have been struggling with the decision for years now with whether to sign on to parasitic payment plans in order to preserve our relationship with our patients. Now our patients are having to struggle with exactly the same thing. Of course, the main casualty is the ever failing relationship with our patients. -----Original Message-----From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Locke's in ColoradoSent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:26 PMTo: Subject: RE: Re: Medicaid opt-out? That's part of the reason I've stayed signed up for Medicare/Medicaid.I hate to see long time patients forced to go elsewhere due to me not takingtheir insurance.Probably not a sound business decision, but it assists in continuity as onegrows old with your practice. Locke, MD-----Original Message-----From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of sharkinnSent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 6:50 PMTo: Subject: Re: Medicaid opt-out?Thanks, Jean. That's a good point about the possibility of a long-time patient going onto Medicaid. I will rethink...---Sharlene > > >> > > I am in upstate NY, starting a new IMP this summer. Is there > > > something I have to do specifically to opt out of Medicaid,since I> > > accept it under my current employer? I will be participating in > > > Medicare, unless they cut our pay by 10% this summer. ---Sharlene> > >> >> > > >> > > > --> If you are a patient please allow up to 4-8 hours for a reply byemail/> please note the new email address/> e mail may not be entirely secure/> MD> > > ph fax 207 778 3544> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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