| | (S. 1194/H.R. 2497) Exposes Seniors to Large Medical Bills |
 | | The private contracting bills (S. 1194 and H.R. 2497) threaten seniors with unpredictable increases in out-of-pocket costs by encouraging doctors to negotiate the price and terms (i.e., private or through Medicare) for individual services, escaping Medicare's limitations on fees for privately provided services. |
 | | Currently, Medicare beneficiaries have the freedom to choose their own doctor; they are effectively protected against unlimited physician bills; and they are free to contract privately for services not offered under Medicare (e.g., prescription drugs, cosmetic surgery). |
 | | If America embraces private contracting on a service-by-service basis, as proponents urge, the viability of the Medicare program is threatened because this fundamental shift sets up a "perverse incentive for physicians to avoid Medicare patients," according to the American College of Physicians. |
| www.consumersunion.org /health/0225kylf.htm (731 words) |