Medicare 2010

Someone please tell me that I am missing an update concerning the 2010 Medicare changes. Are they seriously raising part B deductible, decreasing fee schedule by about 20% and not allowing consult codes? How is a small practice suppose to survive?

yes, yes and yes!

contact your senator.

Keep reading this forum, even if you don't have questions. 2 of those three points would be old news to you if you were a loyal follower.

As to the deductible, that hurts seniors more than doctors. If the 21% cut actually goes into effect, there will be a mass exodus of doctors out of Medicare and then they'll fix it real quick!

2010 update

Now they are talking about a temporary fix, through Feb 28, to give them time to work on the major health reform bill.
All I can say is Say it ain't so!

Medicare 2010

The Medicare 2010 Part B deductible is going from $135 to $155. Consultation codes are no longer going to be payable. There has been a 21.5% reduction in fee schedule for 2010. There is legislation going around in Congress to avert the reduction and additional legislation to reinstate payment for consultations. Neither is through the process yet.

This Hurts

Our neurology practice is made up of quite a large percentage of Medicare patients because they are the ones with dementia, strokes, etc. This is going to hurt us. I agree, if there was a mass exodus from Medicare, they'd change this quickly. So far, I only know of 1 physician (family practice) who has stopped taking Medicare. It's terrible for the physicians and even worse for the patients who rely on them.

update

the 21% cut is on hold as mentioned above. The president of the AMA held a press conference yest supporting the health care reform bill. This was done as part of a back room deal with Reid to get Congress to permanently fix the Medicare payment system by Feb 28th.
Stay tuned.