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Health & Fitness

And The Winner Is...?

U.S. Congress Battles Physicians, Medicare and Patients' Costs...And The Winner Is...?

The medical world continues to change. Last year, in December of 2010, our U.S. Congress passed a 1 year bill to stop a 25% decrease in Medicare reimbursements to physicians. That was the 10th time they had done so since 1997. This year…bundled inside of the bill that holds the payroll tax cut, is another delay of a 27.4% Medicare physician reimbursement reduction.

On Monday, (12-19-11) the American College of Physicians (ACP) issued a statement. “With each passing day, it appears more likely that Congress will just allow the 27.4% cut to go into effect, despite lawmakers’ repeated promises all year that they would prevent it,” said Virginia Hood, MBBS, MPH, FRACP, FACP, president of the organization. “Most physician practices are small businesses, and they can’t stay open for business as usual if Medicare doesn’t cover their practice costs. Physicians will have to make very difficult—and painful—choices such as closing their practices, laying off staff, or limiting how many patients they can see,
choices that will be foisted upon them by Congress’ irresponsibility.”  
MODERN MEDICINE Dec 21,2011;Morgan Lewis, Jr.

(NOTE: On Thursday, 12-22-11, the temporary bill was passed and will again be taken up in January.)     As physicians, politicians and big medical wrangle for position…patients are largely unaware of the implications…and more likely to focus on the “Don’t Mess with MY Medicare, I Earned It” sentiment…or the “I Know Things Need to Change” attitude. Regardless of your views…or what happens in our political processes…colds, flu, fractures, and falls continue.

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Market Strategiessurveyed a national Web-based panel of 601 physicians, including 200 in primary care, in August this year. They found 77% of Primary Care Physician’s and 76% of specialists expected that solo and small practices would be absorbed by larger independent group practices or hospital-owned group practices in the next 5 years, according to the survey results. MODERN MEDICINE Dec 21,2011;Morgan Lewis, Jr.

Medicine, and its physicians, is being forced to behave more big-business like…Profits & Loss…and, unfortunately…Production…which translates into:  How many patients need to be seen per hour in order to maintain profitability? Over the past few years, I have heard increasing numbers of physicians who are fired because they take too much time with their patients!  Many of those M.D.s chose to leave medicine altogether.  One, that I know, moved to another state and started an organic farm!

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Aside from the tumult,  there remains one truth:  We must take responsibility for ourselves…and in a medical sense, that means we must try to develop healthy and PREVENTATIVE measures that will reduce our need for medical intervention…and the cost uncertainty that surrounds it.  Over the past dozen years, studies of Medicare aged adults provide a common ray of hope and encouragement…NO MATTER HOW OLD, OR WHAT OUR CONDITION, OUR BODY AND MIND WILL RESPOND TO IMPROVED NUTRITION, INCREASED ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL INTERACTION!!!!! 

To get started, simply make an appointment with your Primary Care Physician for your 100% free Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. 


Mike

Fall Prevention Clinics of America™

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