Fla. Doc's Sign Warns Off Obama Supporters

[Roma Jean Turner]

There is a 20% copay if Medicare is your primary coverage.  You are responsible for that if you don't have a supplemental insurance.  If you do have the supplemental insurance, it is automatically billed and pays the doctor the 20%, if Medicare covers the other 80%, depending of course on diagnosis,  etc.   If you have an Advantage plan, then you would pay the copay that the Advantage plan stipulates, usually 30 or 35 copay for a specialist which I would be considered in most Advantage plans.  Of course I can't charge you more than I would any other Medicare patient, so it is still back to what the rate is for my area of the country, that Medicare will allow me to charge.  (leaving out some of the other factors, but this is the gist of it).

[Diane Amberg]

I'm so new to Medicare I don't have it all figured out yet. Haven't even gotten my first statement of benefits, but I used to help my parents so I think I'll know what I'm looking at. I do have a supplemental policy which pays second (I hope) My Medicare is not one of the advantage plans.They were too much like HMOs for my liking

[sixdogsmom]

Roma Jean, it has been my experience that a doctor enters charges to medicare, and medicare allows just so much for that treatment. Then they pay 80%, and if you carry a medigap policy, that policy picks up the rest. The difference between what medicare pays and what the doctor charges must be written off if the doctor has agreed to accept medicare before treatment. That is, a doctor charges $100.00 for a certain treatment, medicare only allows $75.00 for that treatment. They will then pay $60.00 (80% of $75.00). Then it is up to the patient to pay the other 20%, either with cash or with a medigap policy. These policies are nice because usually they cover the deductible at the beginning of each year, that helps too. I do have a little problem with some of the ways that medicare pays. For instance, Ted had an infection for which he was getting an infusion every day. M-F we went to the local clinic, and on weekends we went to a local hospital. He had an appointment with the infection doctor in Kansas City, and arrangements were made for his infusion that day at a local hospital there. Medicare paid them $800.00 for that infusion, but would only pay the local clinic $75.00 for the same infusion. I am still scratching my head over that one.  It certainly is not a perfect situation, but thank God we have it. And Diane, I too do not like the looks of Advantage, HMO all the way.

[Roma Jean Turner]

I agree, I am thankful that we have it, but it does have its hoops to jump through and that was really my point.  Chiropractic coverage has its on hoops as well with regards to what qualifies.  Anyway, enough of my complaining.  I am grateful that I have a way to support myself.

[Diane Amberg]

I was told one time,don't know how true it is that the hospital gets more from medicare because their overhead is much higher and they carry the ER which is open all the time.The usual clinic supposedly doesn't have as much staff and they aren't open except for some hours a day. If their costs aren't as high then they would get less.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Don't know specifically about hospitals but that makes sense.  The limiting fees are based on statistics for the areas.  For instance the fees that can be collected, at least for my profession, in Kansas City and St. Louis, are higher than what I can charge in Springfield.  I'm guessing that there may be differences in smaller towns, but haven't researched that.

[Patriot]

Not really, I believe that everybody should have the right to be alive.... not just those with high incomes or fat wallets.

It has been widely reported that this doc is NOT refusing service to anyone. He has been quoted as saying as much. He's simply engaging in protected freedom of speech. Jerry, your 'belief' and views, while nice, seem to be in opposition to the good doctor's 2nd Amendment rights.  Which, unlike your invented 'right', is a codified right.

The doc is a citizen first and a doc second.  IMHO, you can take your belief to any number of other countries who are already forcing medical mediocrity on all of their citizens. I hear Cuba is nice this time of year.  Maybe your utopia exists there.

[greatguns]

Roma Jean, thank you for your input.  I found it to be very interesting and informative.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Thank you so much.