(07-29-2018, 09:10 AM)flsprtsgod Wrote:

(07-29-2018, 09:01 AM)mikesez Wrote: Zero. But I have processed Medicaid claims in an earlier life. My wife is a doctor and she used to take Medicaid but now she does not. We have a friend who takes Medicaid. trust personal experience with the fact that her doctor is free to choose to take Medicaid or not take it.

Ah, so you have some limited exposure, that explains your perceptions. It also explains why you think plan participation constitutes a free market. You're still not right but I understand your reasoning.

Would you care to elaborate on this statement from earlier, maybe provide a reference? I'm interested in your explanation.

"Then the government has a rule that says nobody is allowed to pay a lower price than Medicare, except Medicaid."

Some doctors in my wife's field provide free consultations.
Others bill insurance for their consultations.
Her experience is that if you take private insurance, you can bill private insurance for the consultation and also let customers who don't have insurance, be on the "free consultation" or "the cost of the consultation is included in the cost of treatment if you choose to accept the treatment" aka bundled cost program. But it is not that way with Medicare. If Medicare finds out that you're letting some of your clients have a free consultation, they're going to say well gosh I guess the cost for consultation $0, $0 is what you get from us too." And Medicare in general does not do bundled costs.

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