Opinion
In the real world outside Capitol Hill, it's clear that Medicare's a mess
LETTER — Posted June 25, 2007
Regarding "Annual Medicare trustees report issues dire forecast for Part B" (Article, May 14): Despite a Trustees report showing that Medicare's hospital insurance program is expected to become insolvent by 2019, Congressman Pete Stark says "this year's trustees report shows that Medicare remains solvent and sustainable." Oh, and pay no attention to that man behind the curtain (a Medicare program that even in the short term may be a disaster for physicians and patients alike); listen only to me. I am the Wizard.
The CMS acting administrator seems to think that a pay-for-performance system will solve Medicare's problems. It's not a lack of quality that is destroying Medicare, it is a reimbursement and funding mechanism that has no basis in reality, somewhat like the Cloud-Cuckoo-Land known as Washington, D.C. The laws of economics, like the laws of gravity, are inviolable, and continual cuts in reimbursement in the face of increasing overhead will make it literally impossible for physicians to continue to see Medicare patients.
Edwin Charnock, MD, DeSoto, Texas
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/06/25/edlt0625.htm.
