Well, my tendency would be to think they are undercounting. Of course, my information comes from Washington and way early on, so I don't know.

But if the AMA can figure out a way to make a dime off of this you can bet your sweet ass they will do it. Even if it's a bonus for every body bag or some thing like that.

I had way too much time on my hands when my mom was dying so I decided I was going to check each and every bill and ledger on her last months. Not that there was anything for the family to pay, mind you, but I wanted to know what they were charging for various things. Like the E Room X ray reader that charged double. Once on each side of midnight.

You don't get a bill with medicare. You get a statement of services performed then depending on your secondary insurance medicare sends a bill for 'co pay' or because there is room on your stop loss for the year. You never, ever get an itemized bill. You get a statement. And the services performed? Listed as a 5 digit code on the statement. So you go to the AMA website and start sorting out the codes. When you have sorted out the 5th one they tell you it will cost you $155 to look up any more codes. Or wait for a year and continue your free search.

Guess who owns the codes? The AMA. Anybody that has need to work with those codes sends the AMA a check every year. For guzbucking accounting service. Doctors.

Maybe it's just a factor of the initials. I had a really serious argument with the REAL AMA (American Motorcycle Association) about 30 years ago. Told their president that they'd never suck another dime out of me and kept my word. A little like the fit I pitched with the NRA (but I didn't talk to Charlton Heston). Bastiges.

So if the AMA (medical) is involved and there is money to be had you can just go all in that they are going to take it and then some. So, how bout if I just keep an open mind on this for the near term?

Thanks Sult. Did the Dups score your family any Easter Eggs? Seems to me Dups are good that way!