The Mayo Clinic makes a lot of money every year. A significant amount comes from Medicare. Hospitals surviving in the year 2009 aren't structured entirely around the monies paid for their services. Some are serviced by trust funds and other financial tools.
However.
Most are non-profit organizations.
But.
They are not really non-profit, but, they get away with it.
The hospitals in the USA with substantial incomes have a lot of financial mechanisms they use to remain solvent. They also aren't allowed, under USA law, to keep all their PROFITS as a non-profit. If a hospital has revenues from all sources that are showing significant profits they have to 'spend down' their incomes in order to maintain their non-profit status.
If one will notice, most major hospitals never stop building. That is because their income is so significant they have to continually have 'projects' to keep their monies.
ASK YOUSELF when you received an annual 'health care rebate' from your physician or hospital that operates as a non-profit. I already know the answer is never. Why should they send a rebate to their customers? That would relay the "W"rong message after all.
The chronic building of facilities may very well be more of an issue than the nation would like to address, but, these are huge entities with 'ideologies' of their own. They like to think they are the 'kindest' entity in any region of the country. Large hospital systems don't like to be questioned in their priorities and usually aren't. If they want to add facilities for whatever reason they do, there is always the understanding from the public that it is benefitting them. That is not necessarily the case. What is the case is that they are 'using' their monies and therefore legitimizing their 'income.'
Hospitals and health care systems also receive government monies that subsidize their activities. They aren't about to give that up either.
The issues that surround such organizations gets interesting. How many MRIs does a community need? Are there more in the area housed in physician facilities that are under utilized?
I believe the infrastructure of American Health Care will be better realized and utilized when there is some degree of cost controls. Right now there aren't any. There is also no 'oversight' to the enormity of some of these systems and the inherent 'chaos' and 'fiscal losses' that come with such huge entities.
The CEOs of these hospital systems will have to look closely at their expenditures and begin to realize they aren't going to have the 'usual' monies to 'throw around.'
One of the failures of the Bush/Cheney Administration is their willingness to allow community hospitals to close down without review or thought about the loss of community beds. One of the things that will become obvious to many CEOs is that the 'habits' of consolidation and elimination of competition is just a bad idea.
The health care 'infrastruture' will be fine. The people of the USA will be fine. The financial stability of these institutions are sound. Very sound. The 'awakening' that will occur following a National Health Care Reform Bill will be good for the country, good for 'affordable' health care and will bring the health care industry into 'line' with other corporations.
It is okay for a non-profit hospital to have a bad year. BUT. They never do. They all complain about Medicare reimbursement, but, they never complain about the elimination of competition that would accommodate the Medicare patient. They absolutely need Medicare patients as they are the backbone of many of the practices of their physicians.
Reform within our health care system will provide better infrastructure for the care of individuals. Whatever loss any health care system sustains regarding government programs is for their better outcome. They can't make all that much money every year.
The Health Care Reform Bill will be the vehicle for change in the USA. Health care will mature and research will become a focus of improving health in general. Remember also, these hospitals don't just treat Americans, they are entities that draw global populations to their doors. There is a lot to be done, but, increasing the cost of health care to Americans will have to stop and better, more efficient care will have to result. There is no room for arrogance in this health care measure, but, more like cooperation.
Mayo definately accepts Medicare. They, no different than many other hospitals, handle Medicare B in a variety of ways. They selected to be a non-participating provider, but, it is to provide venues of 'collection' whether Americans can afford it or not. It is a bit draconian, actually, when considering whom they are actually chasing for money. I would anticipate that to change somewhat.
Mayo Clinic is a non-participating provider in the Medicare Program. (click here)
We do not accept assignment on claims submitted to Part B Medicare except:
where the law requires us to;
...in the case of documented financial hardship;
...when the supplemental insurance is a contract payer;
...when the patient resides in the state of Minnesota.
When claims are sent to Medicare on a non-assigned basis,...
Have a better day and trust your President. He is a brilliant man with sincere concern for the people of this country. That translates into being sure all their health care providers can successfully provide care.
Enough already.
