Medicare’s Not Using Its Cents Wisely

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Retiree Bob Kirkpatrick’s last four Medicare reimbursement checks have been for 6 cents each with the notation: “Please cash this check as soon as possible.”

Each check cost the government 17 cents in postage alone.

“I thought it was a little silly,” Kirkpatrick said.

The retiree, 76, has been seeing a doctor for an ear problem. For each of the last four visits, the bill was $35, and Medicare was supposed to pay 80%, or $28, and Kirkpatrick paid the remaining $7.

But the doctor’s office charged Kirkpatrick $7.06 for each visit, and got $27.94 from Medicare. So, Medicare made up the difference, sending the reimbursements.

“It just struck me as an uneconomic procedure,” Kirkpatrick said.

A spokesman for Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Florida Inc., which issued the checks on Medicare’s behalf, defended the tiny payments as the retiring of legitimate debts.

“We’re just complying with the government regulations,” Jeff Wollitz said.