Doctors closed offices due to Medicare cuts.

 This deserves its own thread because of the implementation and not just threatening to close practice for Medicare patients.

Dr. David D. Richardson, 40, an ophthalmologist in Los Angeles County, closed his practice last week to all but emergency patients and those needing surgery.

70 primary care doctors were “no longer accepting new Medicare patients as of July 1 because of the draconian cut in Medicare reimbursement.”

Dr. Gerald E. Harmon, a family doctor in Pawleys Island, S.C., said he decided last week that he would not take new Medicare patients “until further notice.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/health/policy/07medicare.html?pagewanted=1&bl&_r=1&ei=5087&en=861dbfab1568a36c&ex=1215576000&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1215450473-rgGbbmepLRYcCok5BYVHAw

Doctors leaving Medicare

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Story?id=5326078&page=1

 From the blog and I think it is probably the most read article I have published since starting a couple years ago and other bloggers linked to it as well.  Pretty much spells it out and this was before the activity in Congress last week and perhaps something that gave Big Bad John In Texas something to think about before the Senate vote. Chart at the post lines it out and this was for the year 2006, so I might guess in 2007 the picture didn't get any better and more than likely continued to decline.

Texas doctors who will see new Medicare Patients…