AMA President: Medicare Pay Cuts Hurt Seniors

The president of the nation's largest doctors' group says upcoming cuts in Medicare physician payments will be catastrophic for seniors.

Dr. Cecil Wilson of the American Medical Association says Medicare payments will drop by more than 20 percent by January unless Congress takes quick action.

Wilson says many seniors will lose access to needed care because some doctors will stop accepting Medicare patients. He adds it's a question of medical practices remaining financially viable.

"The doctors are furious because once again Congress is letting this Medicare payment issue go right down to the wire," said CBS News Capitol Hill Correspondent Bob Fuss.

Most everyone agrees that the cuts are too much and would lead to doctors turning older patients away, said Fuss.

Wilson spoke out against the cuts Monday at the AMA's interim meeting in San Diego. The AMA is running full-page newspaper ads and wants a 13-month reprieve so a permanent solution can be sought.

"The AMA warns doctors will stop treating these older patients," said Fuss. "But with Republicans adamant about cutting spending, and Congress already facing the issue of how to deal with tax cuts and unemployment insurance, it's not clear what the doctors will get."

[sjc_1]

If hospitals and doctors do not want to help patients at the rates Medicare will pay, we can bring in doctors from India and China then bring in hospitals from Europe. Capitalism in American talks about competition, maybe it is time that we had some.

[tsigili]

No one cares about seniors. That's precisely where the talk of "death panels" came from. It will happen.

[ouchitatom]

These people who are going to suffer are your parents. the grandparents of your children and some day not so far off yourself and your children willwatch you suffer and possibly die over the greed of medical industry. This is the type of thinking that voters need to keep in mind.What need will there be for so many doctors when the entitlements paid for by the people who need them in thier senoir years are cut off. This action makes the elected so called leaders liers and thieves even more so than today.

[RobAla]

For years, Democrats and the press have been warning Americans about Republicans cutting Medicare. However, this year it was the Democrats that actually cut Medicare by $500 billion. Still, CBS goes on about warning Americans that Republicans MAY cut Medicare. Where is the concern from the press regarding the fact that Democrats DID cut Medicare?

[nearl451]

Of course if we had universal healthcare, then there would be cost control (agreed prices) for all drugs and procedures and there would be no need to cut off care to anyone.

Everyone knows that healthcare costs are grossly inflated in this country. That is why insurance companies only agree to pay 1/2 to 2/3 of proposed doctor charges. Try it without ins. sometime tosee how much you are gouged.

Although not enacted in the soon-to-be effective healthcare bill, this was a primary reason and need for reform - cost control. Medicare doesn't stand a chance without better private cost control.

[bradkt1]

...not to mention that the pay cuts cut into the AMA members' wallets. The AMA is just crying crocodile tears.

[retm-w]

And you wouldn't complain about taking a pay cut?

[tsigili]

No one cares about seniors. They only care about kids.

Yet, a high percentage of kids are born to people who don't want them, or can't support them. How stupid is it, to continue to encourage that????

[bradkt1]

Govtisnottheanswer: I though you were in favor of smaller, less intrusive government. It appears that you have no problem with big government limiting the right of people to reproduce if they aren't the right kind of people to suit you.