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Related: About this forumDoctors are concerned about pay scales under health care law
WASHINGTON Many doctors are disturbed that theyll be paid less often a lot less to care for the millions of patients who are projected to buy coverage through the health laws new insurance marketplaces.
Some have complained to medical associations including those in Texas, California, Georgia, Connecticut and New York saying the discounted rates could lead to a two-tiered system in which fewer doctors participate, perhaps making it harder for consumers to get the care they need.
As it is, there is a shortage of primary care physicians in the country, and they dont have enough time to see all the patients who are calling them, said Peter Cunningham, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington.
If providers are paid less, he said, Are (enrollees) going to have difficulty getting physicians to accept them as patients
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/11/20/209165/doctors-are-concerned-about-pay.html
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)upaloopa
(11,417 posts)That would mean they would have to work longer hours. I was a controller at a medical clinic and work at CPA firms with doctors for clients.
The majority I knew want as much money as possible and as little work as possible.
Many reach an income level they are comfortable with and never intend to work 40 hrs like working stiffs do because they don't have to to maintain that income level.
They are paid a percentage of the revenue the generate say 60% or around there.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)why would you think that? Do you think they are seeing patients 100% of the time? And they can even hire a P.A. to do some of the work.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)is the greed that runs through every sector of the system, even some patients abuse it.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Last edited Fri Nov 22, 2013, 12:26 AM - Edit history (1)
I'd be interested to know what the fee schedules being offered are. If less than or only slightly above Medicare, this could be a problem.
Phlem
(6,323 posts)I've seen them both, those who genuinely care, and the whores. Unfortunately the latter prevails. At least where I live. There's nothing like living in Republican paradise.
-p
brer cat
(24,562 posts)nurse practitioners and physician assistants for routine care. I have had better diagnostics from my nurse practitioner than the last couple of primary care doctors I have seen. The docs seem to busy to listen or ask many questions.
Skittles
(153,160 posts)in case they haven't noticed, lots of us took pay cuts in the real world
phylny
(8,380 posts)As it is now in our clinic (speech, physical, and occupational therapies for children) sometimes the reimbursement rate per 30-minute session doesn't even cover half the cost of the therapist, let alone the physical building, office staff, etc.
I'm all for the spoiled brats being brought down a few rungs, but reimbursement rates need to be in line with reality.
Warpy
(111,255 posts)Docs are now graduating with at least a quarter of a million dollars in debt. Because training is so long, their working life will be shorter than that of the typical 4 year liberal arts grad. They reached a limit on the number of patients they could safely follow a long time ago and have now exceeded it, experiencing a speedup like the rest of us have.
If they have a large percentage of their patients from the exchanges, they'll be living paycheck to paycheck like the rest of us.