I am very disheartened to hear about this ("CMS does about-face on Medicare Advantage payment cuts,” April 1). I did the billing for a rheumatologist while I was in school, and the majority of her patients were Medicare beneficiaries. She stopped accepting Medicare Advantage patients because they are so bad at paying claims. It was either bill the patients, who had paid a premium for insurance that was marketed as an improvement on Medicare, or work for free. Most of the work I was doing was following up on unpaid claims.
I can testify that Medicare is the easiest payer to work with. Those insurance carriers with “Medicare Advantage” plans just want that supplement they get from the government and, obviously, the legislators they lobby are willing to help. Lowering payments to providers and raising premiums for beneficiaries would not be necessary if they knew how to operate a business without a government handout.
Unfortunately, there are many people who are fooled into thinking these plans are an “advantage” over Medicare.
Ann Burkhardt
Health information directorTherabillGrayslake, Ill.