Medicare cuts forcing thousands of FL seniors to find new docs

Funding cuts to Medicare in order to help pay for the new healthcare law are forcing thousands of Florida seniors to find new doctors just days before Medicare enrollment ends.

"When the president said you're going to keep your doctor he was talking about the affordable care act, not about Medicare," says Dr. Daniel Kantor, Founder of the Southern MS Consortium.

Part of funding the new healthcare law in 2014 is cutting $156 billion has been cut from Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, in which over 1.1 million Floridians are enrolled.  Dr. Kantor says insurance companies are telling some Florida docs that they're no longer part of the program.

"Medicare doesn't usually allow out of network which means you're all on your own," he says.

With Medicare enrollment ending on Dec. 7, it leaves many seniors with just days to figure out whether they're still covered under the new healthcare law, and to find a new doctor if they're not.

"When open enrollment closes and you don't know which insurance plan you should be on and your doctor's not on it, you're stuck."

Some insurance companies like United Healthcare, the nation's largest provider of the Medicare Advantage program, have given doctors 30 days to appeal.

To be sure your doctor is still covered by your chosen plan, Dr. Kantor says you should contact your insurance company directly for clarification.