Although some statistics claim that Medicare pays only 68 percent of what private insurers pay for health care, a new study finds that in many cases Medicare actually pays more than managed care plans.

Medirisk, Inc., a private firm that collects payment information, surveyed 1,300 managed care plans and more than 450 million current insurance claims and found numerous instances in which managed care paid fees in local markets at or below Medicare's rates, some by as much as 40 percent. For example:

• In North Carolina, Medicare paid $273 for a colonoscopy, while a negotiated fee was $248.

• A cataract removal in Oklahoma cost Medicare $1,039, while a negotiated fee was $874.

• In Florida, a skin biopsy cost Medicare $54, while a negotiated fee was $40.

• In 10 states plus the District of Columbia, private plans price some common office visits below Medicare.

Out of 1,000 "highly significant" medical procedures in 40 markets across the country, Medirisk found that 6,250, more than 15 percent, could be purchased for less.

Source: Matthew Miller, "The Medicare Boom," New Republic, December 11, 1995.