Alberto Casaretto, M.D., is President and Leader of the Broward County Medical Association, an organization comprised of 1500 physicians and physician assistants in Broward County. Dr. Casaretto is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology. His practice, Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Consultants of South Florida, has locations in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Boca Raton.
Dr. Casaretto graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Emory University of Medicine and his fellowship in Nephrology at the University of Pennsylvania.
In Dr. Casaretto’s personal words
I moved to South Florida when I was six years old, grew up in the medical community since my father is a Nephrologist and my summer jobs in high school included working as a dialysis technician. I knew at an early age that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine and I always knew I would come back to South Florida to practice. Since moving back in 2000, I have enjoyed being a part of this medical community.
I joined the BCMA and became more active when I felt our profession was being undermined by outside forces. Initially, as a young physician, I did not understand how being a member of the BCMA, could actually make a difference on a bigger scale. As I dedicated more time and effort to the BCMA and its endeavors – including working on Amendments, traveling to Tallahassee to meet with our state representatives and senators, and participating as an FMA delegate – I realized that each of these actions do indeed have an impact on our profession at large. Every physician should realize, that simply being a member gives our organization key support, but we really need your physical presence and new leadership to make a real “change.”
Since starting my practice, it has become apparent that the present medical professional environment is not conducive to attracting new physicians to our state nor is it conducive to keeping our current medical physicians working, nor does it foster a physician’s desire to continue working in our state. The economic squeeze on our practices from the past ten years of steep reimbursement cuts, and the threat of proposed reimbursement cuts, coupled with the sharp increases in overhead, staffing, costly regulatory encumbrances and, of course, malpractice litigation and insurance are enough to make any physician thank about finding a better way to make a living.
We need to address and resolve these issues. However, the one constant we have is our dedication to our profession and our belief that we make a difference in someone’s life each and every day. If we did not love medicine, we would not be doing this job. We need to protect our profession and our patients from the bureaucracy that can potentially harm each and every one of us.
Physicians began facing the 21.2 percent Medicare cuts on March 1, 2010, then the date was move to April 1, then June 1. Meanwhile Congress took vacations in March and May, leaving the doctors in suspense. Three times Congress missed a deadline. Physicians and their staff called our U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives, but Congress refused to pass legislation and the 21% cut went into effect. Then they finally passed legislation on June 24 with a 2.2% increased, but this is only effective until November 30. Physicians and their patients need to begin now to talk to their Congressmen and women. Dr. Cecil Wilson, newly installed President of the AMA (from Florida) said, “Congress is playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette with seniors’ health care. Seniors are already experiencing access problems and about one in five physicians are limiting the number of Medicare patients they treat because of the instability and uncertainty of Medicare payment.”
I encourage every physician in Broward County to get involved and get your patients involved. It is never too late. Tell Congress we have had “Enough!” Medicare beneficiaries and their physicians deserve better treatment than having to worry if this is the year or the month or the week that Congressional inaction will allow the Medicare system to collapse.
