Comments on: Does Medicare contain spending growth better than private insurance?

By: Pankaj karan,MD

Pankaj karan,MD — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:12:11 +0000

The moment medicare patients beecome medicare advantage pts cost goes up by 15% plus medicare cost. There is no senior Private Insurance pts. as such they all all, almost all of them converted pts. from medicare.I donot see how you can compare both of them in terms of cost?I think you can compare their utilization and quality scores and comapre them to cost associated with them. In general LOS for Medicare pts in hospital is almost 1..5 days longer than HMO senior pts but as studies has shown in past that thew cost variance is not much different. This was the main reason many hospitals started having hospitalist to control LOS but has saves may be @368 dollars in best scenario on per case basis. Most of HMOs pts are discounted by HMO contract but for medicare it is prospecive payent system. Pts are more expensive when under HMO then Medicare. Mecicare is not for profit and HMO is for as much profit as possible???Your question is basically oxymoron in my opinion.

By: Trading Eights » Public Enemy #1: Adverse Selection

Trading Eights » Public Enemy #1: Adverse Selection — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:40:35 +0000

[...] Does Medicare Contain Spending Growth Better than Private Insurance? — Healthcare Economist – Yes, according to this research. [...]

By: James Lansberry

James Lansberry — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:43:33 +0000

or it could be that the cost shifting from Medicare to private payers has gotten worse, hence the comparative cost increases.

By: kingstu

kingstu — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:05:40 +0000

Doesn’t monopsony power explain this?

By: John

John — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:59:44 +0000

Does this take into account the increasing amount of cost shifting being forced onto the private sector?