Hsm 542

Week 2 Case Study: Solving the Medicare Crisis

Keller Graduate School of Management

Health Policy and Economics, HSM 544

Congressman Hughes and staff, as you are aware of Medicare is currently the object of scrutiny in regards to its funding and how it is effecting the nation’s current healthcare situation.   There are many options and resolutions in which to look at this program to decide whether or not it is actually a positive attempt at resolving current healthcare issues.   I believe that our nation is misinformed about the current financial status of the Medicare program.   I will try to address the key questions in regards to the program and current issue.

Is Medicare in a state of crisis? To answer this questions, yes, it is my believer that Medicare is in fact in a state of crisis financially.  

Are radical measures necessary to preserve the program? No, but changes do need to be made. The long term effects of the current Medicare crisis will indeed have the most impact on our senior citizen population, baby boomers, and will possibly affect our military personnel as well. The reason for this is because the accessibility to physicians or primary care physicians seems to be decreasing which intern could definitely cause several problems within these populations.   Physicians who participate in the Medicare program are encountering decreased payment from billing which might have them reconsider seeing or accepting patients who only have this type of coverage.  

One out of every four Medicare patients looking for a new primary care physician are having trouble finding one. Through Medicare payment reform those physicians who actively participate in Medicare can be assured of long term stable and competitive payment rates from Medicare and TRICARE and can provide care for these patients.

How is Medicare funded now? As of 2014 54 million people ages 65 and over and younger adults with permanent disabilities rely on Medicare to...