Medicare Cuts Force Doctors To Drop Medicare Patients

Doctors say Medicare cuts force painful decision about elderly patients

By N.C. Aizenman

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 26, 2010; 12:02 AM 

 

Want an appointment with kidney specialist Adam Weinstein of Easton, Md.? If you're a senior covered by Medicare, the wait is eight weeks.

How about a checkup from geriatric specialist Michael Trahos? Expect to see him every six months: The Alexandria-based doctor has been limiting most of his Medicare patients to twice yearly rather than the quarterly checkups he considers ideal for the elderly. Still, at least he'll see you. Top-ranked primary care doctor Linda Yau is one of three physicians with the District's Foxhall Internists group who recently announced they will no longer be accepting Medicare patients.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/25/AR2010112503638.html