ACTION ALERT: Sign The Petition to Protect Doctor Patient Rights
(This page is under construction!)
The decision to go on strike against government healthcare plans will not be easy for any healthcare practitioner. We would love to hear success stories from practitioners who have already made the choice to opt out of statist health care.
We have started the process of gathering and reviewing resources for opting out. We will be listing and posting links to them here.
Opting Out of MedicareHere is a link to an updated version of Opting Out of Medicare published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Office of Healthcare Systems & Financing, Irvin Muszynski, JD, Director.
“Since January 1, 1998, physicians have been permitted to opt out of Medicare and enter into private contracts with Medicare beneficiaries that allow them to set their own fees. A physician who opts out of Medicare agrees not to see any Medicare patients (barring emergencies or urgent services), except for those with whom she has entered into private contracts, for a period of two years.
“This means that if you work in a situation where you must see Medicare patients as a part of your employment, you cannot opt out of Medicare. It also means that if there is any possibility that your life will change in the next two years, and you may have to see Medicare patients as part of new managed care contracts or new employment, you also should not consider opting out of Medicare.
“The rules for opting out are very specific. In order to opt out you must file an opt-out affidavit with your Medicare Carrier, or Medicare Carriers (if you work in more than one Carrier jurisdiction). A template for this affidavit that conforms to Medicare rules follows. A private contracting template also follows, which you can use for entering into private contracts with your Medicare patients once you have opted out. These contracts must be kept on file in your office, available to be sent to the Carrier or to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Carriers, should they be requested. New affidavits and private contracts must be completed every two years.
“NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER: Opting out has serious implications for your status, rights, and responsibilities as a Medicare provider. This summary and the attached sample affidavit and private contract template are based on sources believed to be reliable. The information contained herein doesn’t constitute legal advice nor should it be relied on exclusively. The APA assumes no responsibility for any physician’s decision to opt out or reliance on the sample agreements that follow. If you have any questions concerning these materials or opting out in general, please call the Managed Care Help Line . . . “ (read more)
Opting Out of TRICAREHere is a link to the MHN Practitioner Network with information on the need to give at least 90 days notice.
"G. Resignation from the MHN Practitioner Network
"If a practitioner wishes to resign from MHN's practitioner network, he/she must submit in writing a notice of termination of the participating practitioner agreement. A practitioner, who resigns as a contracted MHN practitioner, will retain TRICARE standard certification (non-contracted status) unless written communication from the practitioner specifies otherwise.
"Note that if you must resign from our network, responsible patient care includes working with MHN to provide continuity of care for any MHN members you may be seeing. You must give at least 90 days notice, and you should be available to work with the member during that transition period. Facilitating an appropriate transition to another practitioner or service is consistent with good professional practice. We appreciate your cooperation with this quality assurance policy."