Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology Medicaid and Medicare Future My readers should know by now that our practice's patients come from Medicare and Medicaid population. About half of our patients are seniors and we are the only dermatology practice accepting community-based State Medicaid programs. Some of our patients come from Rockford and far north in order to get care. So, certainly, we watch the news about the 'Big Beautiful Bill' passing the Congress with a lot of attention. We all work very hard, 6 days a week, with traditional phone service rather than Al, traditional nursing care rather than substitutes, we are not short on staff, and taffy candy is always there in the waiting room. The bottom line is that we do not want to change. We hear a lot of horror stories from patients who received sub- optimal care just because they did not fit into the cosmetic service label. Yes, we deal with 'ugly' dermatology, suffering, chronic skin diseases and skin cancer, and this is where we want to stay. What is our future and our community's future in healthcare then? Next year the federal proposal will cut 2.93% in Medicare payments for our services. As Medicare is a base for fee schedules for all commercial insurances, and they follow the fees, our overall pay will decrease by almost 3%. Healthcare providers are the only fee schedule-based service delivery. Your contractors or plumbers, or lawyers and hairdressers can increase their pricing, with no limits and restrictions. We cannot. Unless we drop our contracts with Medicare and Medicaid. We will also feel the impact of supply chain interruption. As you can imagine, many of our medical supplies come from outside of the country, We buy them from dealership medical supplies companies, who control where and for how much they get them. We also like using high quality supplies. It does matter what sutures we use to stitch your wounds. And we will pay more for that. And finally, we hire and maintain high quality personnel. You know that because you meet our staff every day. Many of our staff members have been working for the practice for many years. We want them to have good work conditions, good pay, insurance benefits, retirement benefits, and chocolate for stressful days. Jokes aside, we really want to maintain the operations as they have been for many years. Modernizing our practice, we carefully select the vendors who understand that human interactions in medicine are crucial. Sick patients want to feel empathy and not robot-like behavior or Al. We also realize that many of our patients may suffer financial hardship if they lose their medical coverage. All of it is difficult to digest and plan for the future Especially with on/off decisions by our government to cut many of the benefits for the low-income population of seniors and people receiving assistance. While we do not have the power to change thej minds of people to control our systems, we do have power to elect people who we know wish us better. And we can voice how dissatisfied we are with current trends. Seniors deserve better. They should not worry about paying more for medical care and seek providers accepting Medicare 40 miles from home. People working low paying jobs should not wor about losing their benefits because their employers cut their work hours below twenty. Kids from low-income families should not be hungry at school. Working mothers should not worry about losing Medicaid for their newborns. We all should join together to make sure this will not happen. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology Medicaid and Medicare Future My readers should know by now that our practice's patients come from Medicare and Medicaid population . About half of our patients are seniors and we are the only dermatology practice accepting community - based State Medicaid programs . Some of our patients come from Rockford and far north in order to get care . So , certainly , we watch the news about the ' Big Beautiful Bill ' passing the Congress with a lot of attention . We all work very hard , 6 days a week , with traditional phone service rather than Al , traditional nursing care rather than substitutes , we are not short on staff , and taffy candy is always there in the waiting room . The bottom line is that we do not want to change . We hear a lot of horror stories from patients who received sub- optimal care just because they did not fit into the cosmetic service label . Yes , we deal with ' ugly ' dermatology , suffering , chronic skin diseases and skin cancer , and this is where we want to stay . What is our future and our community's future in healthcare then ? Next year the federal proposal will cut 2.93 % in Medicare payments for our services . As Medicare is a base for fee schedules for all commercial insurances , and they follow the fees , our overall pay will decrease by almost 3 % . Healthcare providers are the only fee schedule - based service delivery . Your contractors or plumbers , or lawyers and hairdressers can increase their pricing , with no limits and restrictions . We cannot . Unless we drop our contracts with Medicare and Medicaid . We will also feel the impact of supply chain interruption . As you can imagine , many of our medical supplies come from outside of the country , We buy them from dealership medical supplies companies , who control where and for how much they get them . We also like using high quality supplies . It does matter what sutures we use to stitch your wounds . And we will pay more for that . And finally , we hire and maintain high quality personnel . You know that because you meet our staff every day . Many of our staff members have been working for the practice for many years . We want them to have good work conditions , good pay , insurance benefits , retirement benefits , and chocolate for stressful days . Jokes aside , we really want to maintain the operations as they have been for many years . Modernizing our practice , we carefully select the vendors who understand that human interactions in medicine are crucial . Sick patients want to feel empathy and not robot - like behavior or Al . We also realize that many of our patients may suffer financial hardship if they lose their medical coverage . All of it is difficult to digest and plan for the future Especially with on / off decisions by our government to cut many of the benefits for the low - income population of seniors and people receiving assistance . While we do not have the power to change thej minds of people to control our systems , we do have power to elect people who we know wish us better . And we can voice how dissatisfied we are with current trends . Seniors deserve better . They should not worry about paying more for medical care and seek providers accepting Medicare 40 miles from home . People working low paying jobs should not wor about losing their benefits because their employers cut their work hours below twenty . Kids from low - income families should not be hungry at school . Working mothers should not worry about losing Medicaid for their newborns . We all should join together to make sure this will not happen . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net