Capitalism Magazine

The Government Boot on Your Doctor's Neck

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:10:00 +0000

We live in an age when the secretary of the Interior and the White House press secretary proudly and publicly proclaim that they will keep their "boot on the neck" of an oil company.

David Allen

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:35:32 +0000

I agree with your article overall, but there might be a mistake. I was not aware that "physicians who treat Medicare patients are forbidden from charging them for any service not covered by Medicare." I think, rather, that physicians who accept Medicare cannot charge a patient more than Medicare rates for covered services. Services that are not covered can be charged directly to the patient. This is why companies such as MDVIP can charge for concierge care that is purportedly for non-covered services. It (Medicare)is still a horrible system that should be gradually phased out - but thought this should be corrected.

Lesa Melaugh

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:33:33 +0000

Services that are not covered can be charged directly to the patient IF the patient has been advised prior to services rendered that it may be a non-covered services and IF the patient has signed an "advanced beneficiary notice" stating that he has been informed in advance and IF the physician includes the appropriate modifiers on the claim to indicate that the physician and the patient are aware in advance that the service provided may not be a "covered service." If proper procedure is followed, then, yes the physician can bill the patient for the service.
If the service is provided, billed to medicare, and then denied as non-covered without an ABN, then the physician may not bill the patient for a non-covered service. The charge must be written off by the physician and the physician gets no payment for services rendered.
I thought this should be clarified.

Shahid Insaf

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:41:56 +0000

The medical profession has allowed its 'nobility' to become the shackles that the Government binds it with. There is no better example of 'Sanction of the Victim'.