Some physicians leaving Medicare due to costs

Many doctors are leaving Medicare, while many others have stopped accepting new Medicare patients reports WRAL of Raleigh, North Carolina. In North Carolina, 80 physicians have opted out of Medicare in the last year. Many cite the fact that while the cost of treating patients has gone up, the government has failed to increase the rates at which they reimburse the doctors.

One doctor, Dr. Conrad Flick, a partner in Family Medical Associates and a board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, stated,"The payment from Medicare for our services is less than it costs us to provide those services. Our job is to take care of patients, which is what we love, but if we can't run our business, we can't take care of any patients."