Medicare patients as 2nd class citizens

[ps14454190]

This may have been covered before. I noticed, while being treated for an illness, and seeing several specialists, the long delay in getting appointments.  Even with my internist.  The treatment I get when I see them is fine(I think this by law), but there seems to be more then ever  Medicare people are treated as 2nd class patients because Medicare only pays 75 or 80 % of what private insurance pays.  So more  doctors don't accept Medicare patients and those that do rather take private insured patients for the money.  The medical community here in Arizona treated me much better when I was working and on private insurance. 

I have Medicare with AARP supplement.  But I am not seeing the Advantage users having better luck.  Is there anything that can be done, or do we Medicare to pay more to doctors or a law to stop the 2nd class treatment.  I don't see this getting better.    

[MikeB664465]

I think the societal issues are bleeding over to medical care. I retired from an emergency medical system a little over a year ago. Patients are much different than they were precovid. The medical system has been over taxed to a level we have not seen in our lifetime. That has made the medical system different than it was precovid. Doctors, nurses and paramedics are people too. Bad choices made are affecting medical caregivers in our system. Early on in the pandemic people were hanging out windows cheering medical workers for there work. That’s not happening any more. I fear we are all getting the medical care that results from the environment created. Patients often feel justified in being abusive if their care is not provided the way they want it to be. If established medical protocols dictate certain treatments and the patient wants medical workers to deviate from protocol medical staff must choose whether to risk the patients rath or comply with protocol. I don’t want to get into a debate over treatments. However, as that debate rages in our society it is affecting the delivery of medical care for all of us. Right now I think we are all getting different medical care than we got before covid. 

[cat0w]

I live in Central Texas, and I don't have any problems. If anything, I see my doctors too much. I am scheduled for blood work next Monday and my annual physical the next week. I already have my annual eye exam scheduled too. I am covered through the Baylor, Scott and White Advantage plan. I have Dental coverage too and my next cleaning and visit with the doctor/dentist is for March 29th.

[ps14454190]

It maybe because I have regular Medicare and you have advantage.  I will need to find out  if advantage pays doctors the same as private insurance or if they reimburse the same amount as Medicare.   

[ReTiReD51]

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@ps14454190 

Medicare spent $321 more per person for Medicare Advantage enrollees than it would have spent for th.... 

So, the question is did the $321 go to the healthcare provider or to the bottom line of the MA plan?

Most Medicare Advantage plans have networks of health care providers that was designed to keep their reimbursement rates low.

If so, why does Medicare have to reimburse MA plans $321 more per MA enrollee?