badwilson wrote:




I don't think it's up to the doctors themselves. They are employed by
the hospital, after all.

Not exactly. Unless they are still "residents", they are
"self-employed", and pay dues to be on a hospital's staff.
But of course they do not set the hospital's charges (which
include anesthesiology, use of operating and treatment
rooms, nursing care, etc.). However, I think they set their
own fees for treatment, even if they are in a practice with
other doctors. I know the partner of my gynecology surgeon
did not accept Medicare patients, but he did. If they do,
they must accept whatever fee Medicare approves as their
entire fee, although if the "approved" amount is more than
Medicare actually pays, the patient is responsible for the
balance.

And if it's the hospital's policy to demand
money up front for surgeries, there's probably not much an individual
doctor can do about that. It's not like they could just perform the
surgery in their own home in the evening or something.
The whole situation sickens me. From what I gather, Kili doesn't
qualify for Medicare because she doesn't have children.

I think you are confusing "Medicare" with "Medicaid".
"Medicare" is available to anyone over sixty-five who has
paid Social Security taxes (which are taxes deducted from
their wages). Although a doctor or hospital is not REQUIRED
to accept Medicare patients, most of them do, in which case
they bill Medicare, who in turn bills either the patient or
the patient's supplementary insurance provider (if there is
one). SFAIK, there's no "up front" about it, in that case.

"Medicaid" on the other hand, is administered as part of the
state's "welfare" system, so the rules may vary from state
to state. What is considered "below poverty level" income
in one state may not qualify as such in another, and of
course other rules may differ, too.