Obama's health care plan and optometry

[alferec]

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Can somebody clarify how Obama's health care plan will affect optometrists? And what exactly is all the fuss with physicians and the plan in general anyway? I just want to get the facts straight. Maybe somebody can start a pros and cons list???

 

[KHE]

Can somebody clarify how Obama's health care plan will affect optometrists? And what exactly is all the fuss with physicians and the plan in general anyway? I just want to get the facts straight. Maybe somebody can start a pros and cons list???

Unfortunately, the final version, if there even is a final version given how close things are in the senate will likely not even be close to the things put forth right now so commenting on specifics is not helpful.

However, IN GENERAL:

If optometry is included and we can bill medically it will be good for optometry. If we can be included and we get paid at medicare rates, it will be WONDERFUL.

If we are excluded, it will suck worse than anything else. Right now, we are not excluded.

Regarding physicians:

Optometrists generally love medicare. Medicare pays well for office based stuff like visits and procedures. Physicians and surgeons generally hate medicare because medicare TOTALLY SCREWS surgeons and hospitals.

That's about in in general.

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

Optometrists generally love medicare.

That's about in in general.

The thing i hate about medicare is getting paid consistently. They changed carriers of who handles the medicare claims in the midwest to WPS in Wisconsin, and its been a headache for 2 years.

Wanna ask someone at Medicare a question. Good Luck. Dial the number, go see a patient, 30 mins later come back, and maybe someone will be on the phone to answer questions.

Then you have to PAY to check a patient's deductible. Say a medicare patient has a $135 deductible and you have to pay $0.25 for each inquiry into www.checkmedicare.com If a patient disagrees and leaves your office, you've just wasted your staff's time, and money. Every commercial medical insurance I work with will gladly display a patient's current deductible information via website.

I agree Medicare does pay decently well, but there are downfalls to the system.