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SorellaLaBefana

(259 posts) Fri Nov 15, 2024, 09:55 AM Nov 15

Cutting Medicare to Save It--and this from the Current Administration [View all]

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving forward with a 2.9% cut to physician payments in 2025 despite protest from major industry groups...

“The Medicare physician payment final rule continues our work to strengthen primary care while also supporting preventive care and promoting better access to behavioral health care. In addition, the final rule codifies and builds on guidance to continue our ability to use rebates from drug manufacturers to strengthen Medicare...”

Under the rule, which is 3,088 pages long, the average payment rates will be reduced by 2.93% in 2025, compared to the average amount these services were paid for most of calendar year 2024...

...Bruce Scott, M.D., president of the American Medical Association, pointed out that that while physicians are receiving a 2.8% payment cut next year, medical practice costs for physicians will increase by 3.5% in 2025. After adjusted for inflation Medicare reimbursement to physicians has decreased 29% since 2001...

https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/doctors-facing-29-pay-cut-2025-call-permanent-medicare-payment-reform

Cutting payments to "strengthen Medicare” reminds one of the (possibly apocryphal) quote from a reporter during what the Vietnamese call the "American War" (Which followed the French War, which followed the Japanese War) that "It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it"

If you are a person-of-a-certain-age you know how difficult it currently is to find practices which accept Medicare patients. This is not going to improve things.

However, one might speculate that by next autumn, a 3% cut might well look GOOD. If there is any Medicare (or any economic stability) left at all.

Oh, and in passing, Tolstoy's "War and Peace" is (depending upon edition and translation) between 1,200 and 1,500 pages long—whilst this doubtless easier? to read and understand Medicare Rule is 3,088 pages!

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Cutting Medicare to Save It--and this from the Current Administration [View all] SorellaLaBefana Nov 15 OP

I have zero trouble finding doctors gab13by13 Nov 15 #1

Me too SCantiGOP Nov 15 #2

The government has been cutting physician reimbursement rates for years. But still, the average physician Silent Type Nov 15 #3

The better way to cut Medicare costs is to get rid of Advantage programs that cost the government more per person. Lonestarblue Nov 15 #4

Unfortunately, the only significant upgrades to our healthcare finance system since 1990s -- ACA, drug plans, Medicaid Silent Type Nov 15 #5

We are the only (overly)Developed Nation without a functional System of National Health Care SorellaLaBefana Nov 15 #6

I get it, but we'll be sitting here 20 years from debating the same thing with no progress. Silent Type Nov 15 #7