Forget The Doctor Fix, We Need A Medicare Fix

Insideronline  "Despite the constant deferment of pay cuts, many physicians still find it challenging to see people covered by Medicare. They receive substantially less from the government to treat Medicare patients — just 81 percent of the private insurance rate.

"As a result, some physicians have abandoned the program altogether. A 2010 Houston Chronicle report revealed that more than 300 doctors in Texas stopped participating in Medicare between 2008 and 2010.

"The American Medical Association states that nearly a third of primary care docs limit the number of Medicare patients they’ll see. And the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) reports that the number of doctors refusing to take part in Medicare has doubled since 2004."