The Heritage Foundation - Leadership for America

October 6, 2009 Joe writes:

Mr. Weinberger needs a lesson in math.

“Medicare denies 6.85 percent of its claims, higher than any private insurer (Aetna was second, denying 6.80 percent of its claims), and more than double any private insurer’s average.”

6.85% is not double 6.8%

Furthermore, most of Medicare’s denials were from the provider sending the form to the wrong place or not providing the proper information. How is that Medicare’s fault?

October 7, 2009 Mike Pennsylvania writes:

Joe tries to absolve Medicare from blame because he says that most Medicare denials were from the provider sending in the wrong forms.

Typical deceptive liberal argument.

A- He doesn’t provide proof.

B- He doesn’t apply the same standard to private insurers. Notice he didn’t say why most of Aetna’s claims were denied.

October 7, 2009 Mike Pennsylvania writes:

Also Joe can’t read too well. Weinberger didn’t say Medicare was double Aetna he said it was double the private insurer’s average.

October 7, 2009 Health Reform Scam » Medicare Is Largest Denier Of Health Care Claims writes:

[...] From Heritage blog [...]

October 7, 2009 Bill writes:

This is also a bit misleading. I would expect Medicare claim denials to be higher.

Here’s why: health insurers who do managed care require pre-approval or require following a protocol, so in effect there is pre-screening.

Medicare does not pre-screen and or pre approve. It is a post approval process.

And, don’t forget, Medicare payment process is managed by the same carriers who bid to serve as the administrator, most often Blue Cross plans, so you can’t say it is ineptitude.

We should have more denials, in my opinion, not fewer.

October 7, 2009 Dexter, San Francisco writes:

It would seem more likely, Joe, you need more than what the current political class has to ofer for your survival. It is sad to see ignorant people in pain even when they bring it on themselves. Empathy from any of us will not save you, as what it takes to just live in this world is being squandered by the idle (meddling) rich we call ‘our government.’
When the fiat money is gone, they can eat each other; since that is the only way they can feed themselves.

October 7, 2009 Big Government » Blog Archive » Keith Olbermann Special on Health Care Tonight – The Drinking Game writes:

[...] from the bottle if he mentions the fact that Medicare rejects more claims than any other insurance plan in the [...]

October 7, 2009 America’s watchdog… I guess… if you ride the slow bus « THE PHILOSOPHIES OF NATE AND OTHER RANDOMNESS writes:

[...] from the bottle if he mentions the fact that Medicare rejects more claims than any other insurance plan in the [...]

October 8, 2009 Wallace Hoffman writes:

Medicare denies rationing of health care, but my checkbook testifies otherwise. Rationing began in February 2009, when Medicare refused to pay for certain essential lab tests and medicines that our physician says are absolutely necessary because of my wife’s damaged immune system. Appeals to Medicare were not even answered. Tricare for Life for military retirees also does not pay anything when Medicare refuses a claim. Because of paying full price out of pocket for health care Medicare previously provided, I ran out of money and credit by September 2009.

October 8, 2009 Steve writes:

“Bill writes: This is also a bit misleading. I would expect Medicare claim denials to be higher.”

I agree Bill…I had the same thought.

We’ve all seen the numbers which show how much more we spend for health care per capita - twice most others; but if you just look at how much government spends per capita for all the nations, we still spend more.

I don’t think those trying to fix the problem really understand the problem.

October 8, 2009 Rick, Utah writes:

How about checking out the source for this info before commenting? The link is;
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/368/reportcard.pdf (there is a comma between the ama and assn).

Notice that the link is to an AMA site. This report is part of their effort to reduce claim processing complexity and if you check the denial codes you will see that Medicare denies claims most often due to coding issues. To me it proves that the Medicare claim process is so complex that even when trained/experienced filers submit claims they can’t get payment.
Joe - find out what average means.
Bill - pre-approval only verifies that the person is covered under the carriers plan, it has nothing to do with filing a claim for payment and therefore has nothing to do with the point of the study or the story.

October 11, 2009 Jim, Maryland writes:

Mike Pennsylvania writes:

Also Joe can’t read too well. Weinberger didn’t say Medicare was double Aetna he said it was double the private insurer’s average.

==============

He reads a lot better than you do. To quote from the article: ..”and more than double any private insurer’s average.” See the word “any”. That doesn’t mean industry average it means any of the insurers [which would be Aetna].

Nor did he say the they filled out the wrong form as you claim. He said there was a mistake on the form or it was sent to the wrong place.

He uses the same source that the article did, i.e., AMA’s National Health Insurance Report Card. Why you couldn’t figure that out is a question? There’s even a link to the report on the page.

Perhaps the difference between liberal [him] and conservative [that would be YOU], is he can read and is willing to look through the report while you are not. Perhaps you should just turn the tele on to Glenn Beck and drink your beverage of choice; nod your head like a bobble head and repeat “It’s just common sense.”

You catch this one in the “article”:

“What’s fascinating is that The American Medical Association (AMA) has endorsed a public option, despite the fact that “some member physicians at the group’s annual meeting [in June] likened the notion to communism.””

So what? If you had two member physicians liken it to “communism” that would be “some members”.

The odds the you caught that one Mike is some where between zero and nada.

October 11, 2009 Jim, Maryland writes:

I’m really disappointed in the Heritage Foundation on this one. I often refer to their Federal Budget and Spending section which is generally very good. But this one on health care is a rather poor effort in data mining and language trickery. Maybe I should rethink their.

October 14, 2009 ‘Crazy Claims About Death Panels’ Sadly Not Crazy At All « Start Thinking Right writes:

[...] is also highly relevant that Medicare denies treatment at a rate of more than double any private insurer’s average right now.  Is government care the thing you should most trust, or the thing you should most [...]

October 20, 2009 damnum absque injuria » Why We Need Socialized Medicine writes:

[...] private carriers sometimes … um … deny claims. Comments [...]

November 18, 2009 This just in - Page 6 - PhotoCamel - Your Friendly Photo Forum writes:

[...] an insurance company can deny it. So why does Medicare deny more claims than private insurance? Medicare: Largest Denier Of Health Care Claims The Foundry Healthcare Economist Medicare more likely to deny claims than commerical health insurers Seems to [...]