Even if there is an increase, it is a joke.
Since 1979 inflation has been running around 4.2% annually. So, if you were to earn $100 in 1980, you would need to earn around $280 just to keep the same purchasing power. Podiatry Magazine did a recent article about incomes rising.The article was inaccurate since no mention of inflation was noted. Nominal figures are meaningless. Rising fees were also mentioned; reimbursements were proportionately dropping.
Physicians are benign and well-meaning fools in that we keep performing work-often at great risk for ourselves and our family- for less and less money. Demand for services keeps growing due to demographics, not physician greed. Lower fees and pay make it more difficult to improve care and cut costs through early diagnosis devices (e.g., ultrasound) and less-invasive treatments. Most podiatrists will agree that many patients arrive in the office for care based on self-induced disorders such as smoking, obesity, poor shoe gear and failure to adequately manage and accept their diabetes. This is a demand issue; not one of "ripping off the system".
Real estate agents still get 5-6% despite record prices of homes. Supplies keep rising as do wages. CPI is rising. Fixed-income returns are at historic lows (risk-free investments).
So, celebrating getting hosed less than what one expected is ridiculous.
Senate measures propose 2.7% increase in Medicare pay
Medicare increase?
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