I recognize that most people viewing this blog aren’t dependent upon Medicare. Most Medicare recipients are reading newspapers rather than blogging. Good for those of you that do both. You are way ahead of the game. But this blog does concern all of you. It may be more important for your grandparents or parents right now, but you’re still involved. I urge you to talk to them about these issues.

I was at a wedding recently and met the family of an orthopedic surgeon from the Carolinas. In the city where he currently practices, there are three groups of surgeons that do what he does. But, the other two groups no longer serve the Medicare population. In my opinion, they have wisely chosen to disassociate themselves from government tyranny and the pathetic reimbursement they receive for their services.

His family was seemingly proud of that fact that his group still does. “Somebody has to take care of the Medicare patients,” they proudly boasted. It sounded so noble. I think that it is so very wrong. It is wrong because it allows the federal government to continue it’s path of wanton tyranny and fiscal irresponsibility.

How are these not the very same principles that our founding fathers and mothers fought for in the Revolutionary war? The Medicare-physician battle that plays out before you every day in the newspaper and blogs varies little from the principle of taxation without representation.  Rather than King George III, our own federal government mandates how the physicians practice their profession and then controls how much they will be paid for their services. I challenge you to ask your own physician about this. Ask him or her how much interference the government has on the scope of their practice.

This effects you because your grandparent or parent won’t get the hip replacement they may soon need. Already two of the three orthopedic practices mentioned above no longer will provide that service. Who will be serving you?