The Future of Medicare
When governments subsidize the purchase of a good, people buy more of that good. This increase in demand raises prices. Governments then face rising expenditure and therefore limit the price they will pay the sellers of the good. Sellers respond by not offering the good for sale.
That is what is happening with Medicare:
Want an appointment with kidney specialist Adam Weinstein of Easton, Md.? If you’re a senior covered by Medicare, the wait is eight weeks.
How about a checkup from geriatric specialist Michael Trahos? Expect to see him every six months: The Alexandria-based doctor has been limiting most of his Medicare patients to twice yearly rather than the quarterly checkups he considers ideal for the elderly. Still, at least he’ll see you. Top-ranked primary care doctor Linda Yau is one of three physicians with the District’s Foxhall Internists group who recently announced they will no longer be accepting Medicare patients.
“It’s not easy. But you realize you either do this or you don’t stay in business,” she said.
What’s the solution? Not price controls on health care suppliers, but less Medicare: a higher age of eligibility, plus higher co-pays and deductibles.
Categories: My Blog
Michael H. Wilson
If I am correct in Europe nurses and midwifes account for 60% of the money spent on health care. What is the reason for not allowing nurses and midwives to do more here in the U.S.A.?
Money? Ego?
And if the mechanic around the corner does too many brake jobs when the cars only need brake fluid then the government raises hell and its on the five o’clock news, but when doctors do unnecessary procedures it is okay. I have to wonder why that is?