Joel Hefley: “I am hearing, ``I cannot find a doctor.'' I receive countless calls and letters from people in Colorado regarding…”

“I am hearing, ``I cannot find a doctor.'' I receive countless calls and letters from people in Colorado regarding Medicare physician reimbursements and how it is affecting their access to doctors. Physicians have either decided to no longer accept any new Medicare patients or not see their current Medicare patients because they are losing money due to reimbursement payments not covering the costs. In Colorado Springs 2 months ago, one-third of all doctors under the Colorado Springs Health Partners program dropped all of their Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare patients. So much focus over the last several years has been on preserving and strengthening the Medicare trust fund that we have lost sight of the fact that if a Medicare recipient cannot find a doctor, we have a program in name only. Unfortunately, in Colorado and many other parts of the country, that is what has happened. Reforms need to be implemented now to restore Medicare, the Medicare program, as it was intended to be. I believe that reducing Medicare's physician payments will have a devastating impact on physician reimbursement and put at risk seniors' access to medical services.”