UnitedHealth largest provider of privately managed Medicare Advantage plans drops thousands of doctors, Obamacare impact, WSJ report, Substantial funding pressure from federal government
“If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan.”…Barack Obama
“millions of Americans are getting or are about to get cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare, say experts, and the Obama administration has known that for at least three years.”…NBC News October 29, 2013
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”…Joseph Goebbels
From Zero Hedge November 16, 2013.
“Nation’s Largest Healthcare Provider Cuts Thousands Of Doctors; Blames Government”
“UnitedHealth, the nation’s largest provider of privately managed Medicare Advantage plans, has dropped thousands of doctors from its networks in recent weeks citing “substantial funding pressure from the federal government.” The WSJ reports that physician groups are protesting as many elderly patients are now unsure about whether they need to switch plans to keep seeing their doctors. Doctors in at least 10 states have received termination letters, some citing “significant changes and pressures in the health-care environment.” UnitedHealth said its provider networks are always changing and that it expects its Medicare Advantage network “to be 85% to 90% of its current size by the end of 2014,” due to the new health law (Obamacare). More job creation?”
“Via WSJ,”
“Medicare Advantage, an alternative to traditional Medicare, combines hospital and doctor coverage and often includes prescription drugs and perks like gym memberships. Enrollment has more than doubled since 2004 to 13 million in 2012, which represents about 27% of Americans on Medicare.
The federal government pays private insurers a per-capita fee to manage the benefits. The rate is currently about 12% more than the average Medicare patient spends annually. The Obama administration plans to cut those extra payments to insurers by about $150 billion over the next 10 years to help pay for the health law. Some experts expect enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans to decline sharply if that occurs.”
“”Instead of a scalpel, United is using a chain saw,” said Michael Saffir, a rehabilitation specialist and president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, which estimates the insurer has cut 2,200 doctors across the state.”
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