Cost Shifting

So who cares that physicians aren’t getting reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid for their services? You may even think that it doesn’t affect you as a private or insured patient. I have some bad news for you. Those 4.5 employees that each physician needs to handle the added requirements mandated by the government need to be paid somehow. So what really happens is the overall cost of providing care is “shifted” to those that can pay. This probably means you and me. So rather than paying a physician $70.00 for an office visit, you pay $117.50. This helps cover the costs associated with the necessary staff to keep the office open, the physicians paid, and the government satisfied. Name one other profession where half the people who receive the goods or services cost shift their portion to the others.