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It is far more than $275 per day where I live. In 2014, it was $500 per day for my dad. I consider this practice of holding a patient "under observation" fraudulent. This is picking the pockets of the elderly and adding serious stress to a patient taking advantage of someone who often can't advocate for themselves.

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My mom was wheezing & coughing really bad back in Jan., she had been sick for several weeks but refused to go to Dr. She finally went only because it was time for her yearly checkup & needed prescription refills. Dr. ended up admitting her. He told me “the powers that be” decided she could only be there for observation. He argued back & for admission status & won. The two Dr.’s involved really advocated for my mom & one especially went out of her way. It’s a shame that instead of being able to concentrate on doctoring they have to spend time arguing with some board who doesn’t even see these patients! That was my 1st experience with this & I didn’t realize it was a common problem until coming here.
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One thing universal medical will fix is the hole I am in.

even though I have Medicare for 5 years now...I cannot find a primary care doctor. None in my area are accepting new Medicare patients. The forced cuts in Medicare have fixed it so that the doctors do not want patients with such a low payment rate.

For me...that is a huge benefit. I would have to drive to Salt Lake to find a Doc....more than 6 hour drive!
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lynina2 May 2019
I appreciate your dilemma concerning access to a primary care physician. I lived in Utah for a period of time and know how spread out resources are:) My worry with Medicare For All is that you will have to drive 8 hours to find a primary care physician for the very same reasons you find difficulty now as you will be competing with the entire population. In my neck of the woods, many physicians no longer provide care to Medicaid patients and are starting to "lock out" Medicare patients. Some who feel that they are expected to carry too many patients have set up boutique practices where patient participants must pay a sizeable yearly fee. Others, like my old primary care, leave their practices outright due to the extraordinary paperwork, preferring to work as hospitalists. I was the caregiver to my parents who lived to be 89 and 90. I witnessed how as each year took away some ability, they became more vulnerable. I have witnessed the decline of services for this at-risk group and believe that it is imperative that we protect Medicare patients services and rights. It's hard to believe that adding the general populace to that group will improve the situation for our elderly.
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Many consumer opponents for Medicare for all will cause increased premium rates for consumers and longer waits for service. However, it will help those who have been having difficulties finding a provider.
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The cost may depend on your area. The two times Mom was in rehab, after 20 days, her cost was $150.This is with suppliment helping with the cost. Her second visit was to strengthen her after 3 days in the hospital. I told them going in, there was no money past the 20 days. So do what they had to within those days.
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lynina2 May 2019
That is if one has been hospitalized for three days and therefore covered by Medicare. My question was in regards to an article on this forum about patients placed under observation in hospital which results in no Medicare coverage for the hospital or rehab. The article stated that rehab was $275 a day. Your figure of $150 20% co-pay agrees with my experience that rehab costs about $500 to $530 a day. Sounds about right. Some supplemental insurance policies will cover that 20% once you reach the 20 day mark. That supplemental insurance can be worth its weight in gold.
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