Wow I guess the word paraphrase might as well be removed from the dictionary ehh? Not to mention the tone of your sentence seems a bit threatening. I thought that wasn't allowed? And no I didn't GET IT.
Once again, don't put words in my mouth. I speak for me. You speak for you. It works better that way. You haven't lived, Scooter. Clearly.
Pay attention, ese. We are not talking about Medicare Part D, which third party payors do indeed administer. We are talking about Medicare parts A and B, which are major medical plans that only pay around 60 to 70% of "cost of care". Ask your doctor if he could stay in business were Medicare paying for all of his patients. There is no answer. We need to stop these bastards in their tracks.
To add to this most insurers think everytime Medicare cuts payments that means they should follow suit the next time a contract is up. I am even starting to see insurers setting their fee schedules to move with Medicare so that everytime Medicare makes a cut they get to reimburse less. This is causing docs to have to spend lots of money on consultants and contract managers. So while Medicare causes a huge gap private insurance is making up less and less of that gap.
It's amazing. I've literally asked the question five times and no one can answer it. You and I know it's because there is no answer, it doesn't work. It's simple economics that politicians are choosing to ignore. 1. Government plan pays less than actual cost of care 2. Hospitals are forced to charge private insurance companies more for the same services 3. Private insurers raise rates 4. Between the rate increases and the fact that the government will take on their employees, employers drop their group plans. 5. Hospitals go more in the red because of payer mix (see northeastern hospital in Philadelphia) 6. Standard of Care either goes way down or the system becomes such a drain on the country that we create larger problems. What's the old addage? Healthcare can be good, fast, cheap. You only get two of the three.
You may not be talking about it, but I am, chief. The point is that it's an example of a government plan that is actually administered by private insurers.
Medicare rates are negotiated with the providers. Insurance rates are also negotiated with the providers.
Really? Damn, these doctors and hospitals must be idiots because the negotiate prices that are less than their cost. Really? Why would insurance companies then allow themselves to get much worse rates than the government?
