Health Care Reform And Concierge Medicine

While we are still waiting and wondering exactly how each of us will be affected by the health care overhaul, concierge medicine is growing among those concerned. Those American’s who are concerned not only about health care reform, but ultimately about their own personal health, are taking another look at their health situation and how it can be improved. In many cases, concierge medicine is the answer.

A recent article published in Health Affairs by Joseph Newhouse, a professor at Harvard University, examines how health care reform will affect four American patient populations. Those being the uninsured and people covered by Medicaid, those covered by individual and small-group insurance, those covered by midsize and large employers, and those covered strictly by Medicare. To read the document in its entirety, visit Health Affairs.

According to the report, about 90 million Americans are covered by Medicaid or will be by 2014, when much of the health care overhaul will begin. Newhouse sees a huge problem in the way that state and federal officials deal with Medicaid, which could lead to funding challenges and arguments over who will ultimately provide funding. Newhouse also sees some issues with providing enough incentives for physicians to accept Medicaid patients. Where we stand now, many specialists, primary care physicians, even the Mayo Clinic, do not accept Medicaid patients anymore.

Newhouse does see some positive affects when it comes to individual and small group coverage, however. Health care reform makes it impossible for insurance companies to deny coverage or raise rates for individuals with chronic or pre-existing conditions. Health care reform also creates a healthier environment for those individuals who have remained in poor work conditions to keep their health insurance. After 2014, those individuals will be able to change careers and keep their health care.

One issue that always seems to come up when discussing health care reform is the infamous “Cadillac Tax,” which would take effect in 2018 and could lead to higher premiums for those in midsize and large companies. Overall, however, those individual in large companies probably won’t be that affected by the health care overhaul.

An area that will see huge improvements, according to the Newhouse report, will be those beneficiaries of Medicare. “For example, the overhaul essentially closes the so-called “doughnut hole” in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and establishes a voluntary long-term care option.”

Funding for health care reform during these tough times continues to be at the top of everyone’s minds. Newhouse points out that nearly 50% of funding for health care reform will come from reducing Medicare payments to hospitals, insurers and other health care providers. And while taxes from younger workers “historically supported Medicare and Social Security for older people,” that might change as well.

For more information about how the health care overhaul will affect you and your family, or whether concierge medicine might be the right path for you, contact us! Your concierge doctor is waiting!