15 March 2011

ACOs Can Be Labeled as HMOs

If you are looking for something about the new healthcare plan, you may have found very little that is not technical and very hard to read and make sense from what the writer says. Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) are just that and why the bill passed. Our government will shortly control where the money goes and who gets treated and who does not.

This blog by John Goodman does an excellent job of laying out what is about to happen for us, the patients as well as our hospitals and doctors. The picture does not look good. Medical care rationing will be the name of the business and if they can determine that you are not following the rules, you may find yourself on the short list for medical care rationing.

Those of us that are past the age of 65 had long feared this, but now this may be expanded to people of all ages. Anyone that will use up resources (money) to be treated for chronic diseases will find themselves on the list for medical care rationing whether we desire to be there or not. Those outside the system can forget about medical care unless they have the money to pay for treatment and not draw support (money) from the ACOs.

ACOs are essentially HMOs on steroids. The medical insurance industry will not have a choice in how they insure as they will be required to have ACO plans. This will mean that if your doctor is not a member of an ACO the medical care will not be fully reimbursed and most likely you will not be able to get treated unless you can afford to pay the difference. Co-pays will then mean any part of the bill not covered.

This is how they were able to bypass the “universal healthcare” that the Congress and administration so desperately wanted. You will either have an “ACO plan” or you will not be treated unless you can afford to pay all costs.

Please read the blog by John Goodman.

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