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In a NY Times article today (Oct 28) : "In the budget law passed this year, congress allowed doctors to enter into private contracts with Medicare beneficiaries...but doctors could not submit any claims to Medicare for any services provided to Medicare ..for two years." In other words if your doctor now charges the 15% above medicare schedules that he is currently allowed, you would still receive 80% of the approved amount. Under the budget law, if the doctor charged whatever he wanted, you would collect nothing. Apparently this is now the law. Senator Kyl wants to remove the restriction on the doctors submitting other medicare claims and make it easier for them to charge more. NY Times: "Under Mr. Kyl's bill, doctors and patients signing private contracts would forego Medicare payments for the services provided." The new bill is supported by AMA, Rep Gingrich, Rep Armey but opposed by the AARP who are quoted as saying that the bill would undermine Medicare, expose patients to higher costs. Rep Peter Stark said "The bill would allow doctors much more than the Medicare fee schedule. It is pure greed." [log in to unmask]