Thousands of doctors fired by United HealthCare ?

Thousands of doctors fired by United HealthCare

According to this news report, 'thousands' of doctors are being 'terminated' by giant provider United Healthcare.

Many of the 'terminations' are seemingly affecting primary care and specialty doctors.

Some opinions are citing ObamaCare as a possible cause.

We know some changes to MediCare are contained in the PPACA, and maybe some new *rules and regulations* from HHS has caused providers like United to *re-arrange* their networks.

Maybe these doctors are simply being *re-assigned* ?

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)-- In the midst of major changes in health care, UnitedHealthCare has sent thousands of pink slips to Connecticut doctors.

Termination letters went to physicians caring for Medicare patients. Those letters were sent out to doctors caring for 'Medicare Advantage' patients. It's a plan, marketed to Seniors to provide additional services through UnitedHealthCare.

A mix of primary care and specialty doctors are affected by it. And it comes at a questionable time.

Open enrollment for Medicare starts next Tuesday, and it's still not clear at this time as to which doctors are still in the United network.

The Connecticut State Medical Society is fighting back. The biggest concern is patient access to healthcare.

Thousands of doctors fired by United HealthCare


2nd source

reply to post by xuenchen

Yes, the company that has had the same database development position open for more than 2 years.

There is something very fishy about all of this.

When all prohibitions are lifted on the cannabis plant, there will be no need for
them anymore anyway.
And all prohibitions will be lifted very shortly now.

So much for.....



It doesn't look like any of that worked out as it was repeatedly promised.

(shocked face)

They're not "firing doctors" at all. That's completely misleading. They are trying to get rid of the "Medicare Advantage" plans. Why? Because they run at a loss.

The Medicare "Advantage" plans work like this. You sign up for Medicare. As you know, there is a premium associated with this that is deducted from your social security check. An "Advantage" plan is a supplementary plan offered by a private insurer. It is supposed to take care of most of what Medicare doesn't. (It doesn't do that, but that's the idea.) One of the provisions is that you must use a "preferred provider" which means not every doctor is on the list. Most are, however, but it is yet another way to re=duce costs. Secondly, the way it works is that the entire thing is handled by the supplementary provider. They are the ones who deal with Medicare.

So, for example, you're on Medicare. For another $99.00 a month, you get Regence Medicare Advantage. (soon going up to $139 a month because of Obamacare.) The medical insurance industry has often considered these plans below par and the prediction was that they would go away so that your "supplemental plans" (Not Advantage plans, but "supplemental" plans, would cost much more.

That's what is happening in this case. The insurer is dumping the Advantage plans.

reply to post by schuyler


So perhaps this is just a *re-assignment* procedure ?

Is that what you are suggesting ?

I can't envision *any* doctors actually being laid off or unemployed.

what you pay for your doctors .

what next america water in bottles will cost you money .

I think there is a whole different layer to this to consider. Part of the ACA/Obamacare is a dramatic expansion of Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP/CHIP programs for covering as close to 100% of the poor and indigent as they could manage. Some of that got 'lost in committee', literally in this case, but that's the big plan.

It's also what Justice Roberts and his court said states could 'decline' to participate in, among other things. (Exchanges were another). My state has 'declined' to expand the Medi- programs at all. So it's a 0 impact here. What are other states doing? If CT was agreeing to a major expansion, that would have a major and immediate impact on every aspect of the Medi- systems and those who work in and around them, wouldn't it?

Was CT among those going the max for the ACA outline on Medi- program expansion?

xuenchen
reply to post by schuyler

 

So perhaps this is just a *re-assignment* procedure ?

Is that what you are suggesting ?

I can't envision *any* doctors actually being laid off or unemployed.

Although I'm sure insurance companies have doctors on staff, doctors are not employed by insurance companies. they submit claims to them. It's these claims this insurance company is rejecting, saying they will no longer offer these plans. So it's a stretch to claim that "doctors are fired by the insurance company" except in a very loose metaphorical sense.

This is not universal. Regence, for example, is keeping theirs, at least for 2014, but the plans are going up. The coverage that cost $99 this year costs $139 next year. But regardless, the Advantage Plans are at serious risk and it would not be surprising if they all went away over the next coupe of years. They are too cheap.

Same thing happened to me. My insurance company, a regional HMO called Group Health, sent me a letter announcing my "current plan" (the one Obama said I could keep) was no longer being offered because it did not meet the requirements of the ACA. I'm getting a "new, revised and compliant plan" that just happens to cost double what I am paying today.

This whole thing is very sneaky. The problem is that most employed people are not going to care one way or another because they are covered through their employer. Employers will certainly care, but since they are all greedy corporations, the populace won't care about them, either. So what we may see is a) employers dumping health care altogether b)employers deciding not to expand because it will put them in a "required to provide" category, and c) layoffs as employers dump people in order to pay the increased costs.

Then who gets blamed? The employers. Who gets shafted? The people, particularly lower middle income people. Who comes out smelling like a rose? Government and unionized workers who have Cadillac benefits.