Yeah, About that Medicare Advantage Plan

It appears that the Mayo Mayo clinic will stop accepting most privately run Medicare Advantage plans. They are suggesting that their patients eschew these plans, and instead enroll in government run original Medicare with a supplemental policy.

While not giving an explicit reason, it appears that the clinics are sick of dealing with for-profit insurance bullsh%$:

The Mayo Clinic sent letters this fall to all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who received care at its Arizona and Florida facilities in the last 3 years, warning them that it is out-of-network "with most Medicare Advantage plans."

The letter sent to Florida beneficiaries said that "marketing for Medicare Advantage Plans may indicate that you can be seen at any facility that accepts Medicare, however Mayo Clinic in Florida is out of network on these plans."

Asked about the reasoning behind the letters, Mayo communications manager Kevin Punsky replied that they are intended to serve as "a courtesy reminder" at the start of the annual Medicare re-enrollment window that began Oct. 15. They are intended to notify those eligible for Medicare that if they want coverage for non-emergency care at the Mayo Clinic in those two states, they should enroll in "Original Medicare (Parts A, B and D) as well as Medicare supplements."

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The letter also advises recipients that the Mayo Clinic "will not schedule appointments for patients with out-of-network Medicare Advantage Plans."

Medicare Advantage plans have been under increasing scrutiny and investigation because so many of them have been accused by federal agencies of denying care, exaggerating the severity of illnesses to pull billions more from Medicare, and delaying care with lengthy prior authorization requirements.

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Mayo Clinic in Minnesota did not send out a similar letter, Punsky said.

In February, according to a story in the Star Tribune in Minnesota, Mayo had stopped scheduling out-of-network Medicare Advantage patients enrolled in UnitedHealthcare plans. "Seniors in UnitedHealthcare plans are among those no longer getting clinic appointments due to capacity concerns," the story said. "But the change also hints at a financial dispute over payment rates between Mayo and UnitedHealthcare, the health insurance giant based in Minnetonka."

The Mayo Clinic has a big enough name that it can afford to tell the rat-f%$#s that make up the for profit insurance industry to go Cheney themselves. 

Now, if they can do this with the parasites known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers as well.