Posted on 07/19/2014 6:43:27 AM PDT by Innovative
Cardiac surgeons and medical societies are asking the CMS to reconsider proposed payment rates for implanting Abbott's MitraClip, a device that treats a debilitating heart condition.
Because the device itself costs more than $30,000, the proposed reimbursement rate would make it “prohibitive for hospitals to be able to offer this significant care so badly needed for a large majority of our patients,” Dr. Gregory Helmer, a cardiologist at the University of Minnesota, said in comments submitted to the CMS.
(Excerpt) Read more at modernhealthcare.com ...
There are no official "death panels", but that is the result of the more and more rules coming to light, sparked by Obamacare.
Also see these articles which discuss that another new rule denied ALL Medicare drug payment to patients in hospices, then after an outcry, now they are “only” denying it for pain medications, expecting hospices to pick up the tab.
U.S. Medicare program scales back hospice drugs restrictions
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3182342/posts
Medicare Modifies Controversial Hospice Drug Rule (won’t pay for pain relief pills)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3182318/posts
See also:
Medicare Seeks To Stop Overpayments For Hospice Patients’ Drugs
May 1, 2014
“”Instead of leaving it to insurers and hospice providers to identify the drugs they are responsible for, the new rule sets up a process that requires Part D plans to reject initially any prescription from a hospice patient. The patient or doctor, with the hospice provider’s agreement, must explain to the insurer why the drug is not related to end-of-life care. The insurer may deny coverage for a number of reasons, including if the doctor or hospice did not explain sufficiently why the drug was unrelated to the terminal illness, Medicare officials told hospice organizations and insurers” “
He sounds like one of those greedy doctors who like to amputate feet.
WTH is that? Pain relief is what hospice DOES. Morphine is their stock & trade in helping the dying.
Rationing care is what Obamacare is all about. I really wish that only those who voted for Obama would be denied care. Sadly, we all will be denied care in our later years. I have been paying into Medicare for nearly 5 decades so that the elderly would have to worry about healthcare. Now I will be denied care at the behest of this Government?? I HAVE PAID,IN ADVANCE, FOR MY MEDICAL CARE! If this Admin wants to give me back all the money I have paid into Medicare, that’s fine. I will use it to pay for my own medical care. If it runs out, fair enough. JUST GIVE IT BACK TO ME AND LET ME CHOOSE WHERE IT GOES!!
*wouldn’t have to worry*
“The federal government will now fund in excess of $30,000 for citizens to house 5 disease-ridden, law-breaking, alien trespassers in the US, but utilizes the death panel to deny US Citizens access to a $30,000 health procedure for which they have had confiscatory taxes robbed from them for decades. ‘
Exactly. Welcome to the Dems new USA!
Got news for you, you didn’t pay for anything related to you.
Just like Social Security all you are doing is paying for those already on those programs.
There is no account with your name on it crediting you for Medicare payments.
All the Programs are going bust and those of us in the Baby Boom generation will face reduced benefits all the way around,
Can anyone spell *D*E*A*T*H***P*A*N*E*L***?
If I were President, I would buy your Medicare card back for $125K in an eyeblink, but.....
How far do you think that much money would take you if you had to pay for a bypass or a hip replacement at the hospital's full charges??
Under those rules, patients are welcome to get non-covered procedures provided that they pay for them with their own money.
And ya know what?? I am fine with that.
Silly person, I would use the money to buy real Health Insurance.
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