Appalled
I was appalled yesterday when the reality of Medicare coverage clashed with my ethics of "paying my own way."
I had gone for my quick yearly checkup to get my prescription renewed. When I was ready to leave, the Nurse Practitioner went with me to the billing person to be sure the correct box was checked so they would be paid.
We had the billing person check last year's form. She had used the Check Up box. Medicare had denied coverage. Because Medicare denied coverage, my Teacher Retirement medical coverage also denied coverage.
Then I became worried that I had neglected to pay the bill or maybe I had written the check and had forgotten. No, No, naive me! Because I am a Medicare patient (believe me, not by choice), the clinic could not bill me. They had to "eat" the cost of my visit. I couldn't stand there and write a check for the services I had received. I was and still am appalled. Businesses can't stay in business long at that rate.
Therefore, you, the non-Medicare patients, are charged more than the actual cost of your visits to make up for what Medicare won't pay for Medicare patient services rendered. No wonder Alaska doctors don't want Medicare patients. It is more and more difficult to find a doctor or clinic that will take Medicare patients.
8:35:57 AM 
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