Medicare Cuts 2024

[MaryRose416568]

The cuts to professional and lab services for 2024 are concerning. As a person who not too long ago went from Employer Health insurance to Medicare, I can see how little Medicare allows/pays. Who cuts during a period of inflation?  How will this affect our health care? Do you really think that our healthcare needs will be met when a provider gets paid next to nothing compared to other insurance carriers? I have traditional Medicare with a Supp Policy. (And am considering Concierge Medicine where I pay my Primary care doc.)  The Supp policy pays little because they only have to pay up to Medicare allowed.  The Supp Policies should be forced to pay a provider what they would pay if the member was not in a Medicare plan (i.e. their contracted rate for that provider). Or, we could up the Medicare tax on high wage earners. However, the Republicans will not allow a tax increase on the wealthy, then CMS should change the rules on the Supplemental insurers. The elderly deserve quality healthcare!

[GailL1]

As I understand it - the specialist will get the cut but the primary care docs will get more.  Don’t know if it is a direct offset.

Yes, I think the rate of pay from Medicare (traditional program) is already affecting getting new appointments - I think docs are limiting the number of Medicare beneficiary patients that they will see.  Even worse for (some) Medicare Advantage plans - just depends on the plan.

There is also a big push by CMS to expand the new type ACO’s under the Medicare Shared Savings Programs.  So this push will also include getting docs onboard these type of arrangements and then the doc takes the patients with him unless they object.  I don’t think a lot of people understand what these are, how they get into them, how they get out if they want and the benefits of them.

CMS News Release 08/24/2023 - Medicare Shared Savings Program Saves Medicare More Than $1.8 Billion ...

Something I will never understand of government is how they develop all these different programs as out-shoots from other program and then keep many beneficiaries in the dark about them.  But hey, maybe most beneficiaries just want to get care and don’t care much more about it.

I see a Concierge doc - have for a long time - before and after my Medicare coverage started.   He also accepts Medicare assignment.  I do this only because of the “other” services he supplies me under the concierge contract that Medicare either has no say over, doesn’t cover or doesn’t cover sufficient for my needs.  However, I do not have a Medigap.  This arrangement has worked out well for me but only because of my needs snd the concierge benefits.

@MaryRose416568 wrote

Or, we could up the Medicare tax on high wage earners.

+++++++++++++++++

High earners already pay more at least for Part B premiums - every heard of IRMMA- 

Maybe everybody should pay more in their Medicare withholding taxes (FICA) - I mean the rate hasn’t been changed since 1984 and the earnings cap was removed in 1994.  Time to pay the piper - medical cost certainly haven’t stopped going up.

[MaryRose416568]

What is AARP doing to help avoid these cuts? I dont hear any mention of fighting for the elderly who will be treated differently at the doctor's offices. This is inflation, nothing should be cut.  Why cant we buy a second insurance policy in addition to Medicare.  (Like add on an Obama care policy to help pick up what Medicare does not pay. I am not talking about a gap plan which only pays to Medicare allowed.)  Did people at CMS get cuts to their salary? Did people in Congress get cuts to their salary? No, because we are in a period of high inflation. These cuts will assure that the elderly will get second class health care. (And maybe that is the CMS plan to help get rid of us.) That certainly will keep the costs down.