What does everyone think of the new medicare bill passed by the house, and what looks like a victory for AARP? Will this help doctors? Income, etc. ?
New Medicare Bill
- Thread starter vugu62
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the new medicare bill is being endorsed by the ama because it includes a 1.5% increase to physician reimbursement (below inflation) as opposed to the 4.5% decrease that was scheduled to occur this year thanks to Mr. Clinton's balanced budget act in 1997 that states that as health care gets more expensive, doctors should get paid less. Unfortunately, they did not correct the formula being used to pay physicians less every year and this will likely be a recurrent problem that physicians face every year that health care grows faster then the economy. the medicare bill will also increases reimbursement to many rural hospitals as well. Ultimately, I think that the medicare bill will be bad for health care as the government goes broke trying to provide prescription drugs for seniors, they would sooner cut reimbursement to physicians and hospitals before they retract their prescription bill benefit.
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I'll take the 1.5% increase. The wonderful politicians can decrease THEIR salary by 4.5%. 
What about the residents who, despite having a debt equivalent to a small house (which in many cases, means they are forced to continue renting an apt. thus having no chance to build up their equity), make <$10/hr, and have almost no life outside the hospital. These people deserve a helluva lot more cash than $38K for 80+ hours of work.
I remember seeing a thread awhile back about "would you still go into medicine if you only got paid $50K?" The sad part is we practice for several years making much less than that (which is a crock). For those who said "yes", remember, that the government would like nothing more than to oblige you... Fight for your salary (which you deserve and have earned) b/c nobody else will.
As far as healthcare in general goes:
The citizens of the country need to start paying for more of their own healthcare. The old standby where b/c I'm employed = I don't have to pay anything (or just a small co-pay) is not going to work as the cost of quality health increases.
What about the residents who, despite having a debt equivalent to a small house (which in many cases, means they are forced to continue renting an apt. thus having no chance to build up their equity), make <$10/hr, and have almost no life outside the hospital. These people deserve a helluva lot more cash than $38K for 80+ hours of work.
I remember seeing a thread awhile back about "would you still go into medicine if you only got paid $50K?" The sad part is we practice for several years making much less than that (which is a crock). For those who said "yes", remember, that the government would like nothing more than to oblige you... Fight for your salary (which you deserve and have earned) b/c nobody else will.
As far as healthcare in general goes:
The citizens of the country need to start paying for more of their own healthcare. The old standby where b/c I'm employed = I don't have to pay anything (or just a small co-pay) is not going to work as the cost of quality health increases.
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Amen Red514LX -- you're reading my mind!
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The bill to stop Medicare cuts from happening this July has been stopped due to lack of necessary votes. I believe it had to be at least 60.
Too much partisan politics. Contact your US senators and representatives to support NO cuts starting July 1.
This is for every medical student to attending in this country. A measly 10 minutes will help to stop the idiocracy going on. 10 minutes is all you need to get connected to the offices and support S 3101, HR2053/S2056, and HR 2260. Meanwhile, support changes to block non-docs acting like docs.
PLEASE CALL NOW AND OFTEN. YOU MATTER WHEN THEY THINK YOU CARE AND WILL VOTE FOR THEM. Politics is dirty and so every bleeding heart physician has to vote for themselves over everyone else. You will be thrown to the curb if you don't care. Don't listen to the old docs who know nothing about today's medicine in politics. M1s will even be affected by this.
Too much partisan politics. Contact your US senators and representatives to support NO cuts starting July 1.
This is for every medical student to attending in this country. A measly 10 minutes will help to stop the idiocracy going on. 10 minutes is all you need to get connected to the offices and support S 3101, HR2053/S2056, and HR 2260. Meanwhile, support changes to block non-docs acting like docs.
PLEASE CALL NOW AND OFTEN. YOU MATTER WHEN THEY THINK YOU CARE AND WILL VOTE FOR THEM. Politics is dirty and so every bleeding heart physician has to vote for themselves over everyone else. You will be thrown to the curb if you don't care. Don't listen to the old docs who know nothing about today's medicine in politics. M1s will even be affected by this.
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It is no wonder that the public (thus their representatives) have little support for legislation re: physician income or the scope of their profession. The only time physicians seem to care is when their compensation and solidly middle to upper middle class status is threatened.
I will be e-mailing my rep, however, with a few other concerns as well.
One concern is the rising cost of health care. From the latest issue of JAMA, in 2005 the US spent $6401 per person for health care related costs. The "socialized" nations of Norway and Switzerland spent $4364 and $4177. Most of this money goes toward administrative costs associated with health insurance companies/billing, etc. Much goes toward prescription drug costs, which are higher here than in many other industrialized countries. And yes -- physicians on average make slightly more here.
We need to pressure our legislators to streamline the health care industry by moving toward a single payer system...and to decrease the stronghold that big pharma has on D.C. By doing this we can preserve our salaries and profession. We don't have the money that other lobbyists have, but if we could effectively educate and inspire the public...and unite together, we could be a powerful interest.
I will be e-mailing my rep, however, with a few other concerns as well.
One concern is the rising cost of health care. From the latest issue of JAMA, in 2005 the US spent $6401 per person for health care related costs. The "socialized" nations of Norway and Switzerland spent $4364 and $4177. Most of this money goes toward administrative costs associated with health insurance companies/billing, etc. Much goes toward prescription drug costs, which are higher here than in many other industrialized countries. And yes -- physicians on average make slightly more here.
We need to pressure our legislators to streamline the health care industry by moving toward a single payer system...and to decrease the stronghold that big pharma has on D.C. By doing this we can preserve our salaries and profession. We don't have the money that other lobbyists have, but if we could effectively educate and inspire the public...and unite together, we could be a powerful interest.
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geez, not this crap again. Every year we cross our fingers so we don't get our just compensation cut while so many other professions fight for even higher raises. Is it no wonder why in 2008 police officers in parts of NY and CA (check my 225,000 dollar post) are making more than primary care physicians???
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US residents are gov employees (GME funding). Just get everyone to go on a 3 day strike and demand better pay and benefits.
There would still be staff/attending docs to cover hospitals. Hell.. nurses strike all the time. Residents in New Zealand just successfully pulled this off. They get paid at least double what US residents get. Plus, they get paid for the oncall they have to do (time and half).
Maybe we should follow suit.
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US residents are gov employees (GME funding). Just get everyone to go on a 3 day strike and demand better pay and benefits.
Residents in New Zealand just successfully pulled this off. They get paid at least double what US residents get. Plus, they get paid for the oncall they have to do (time and half).
Maybe we should follow suit.
Residents should set a date and strike seriously. BS cuts.
