The recently announced bipartisan health care deal has come upon opposition in the Senate. The deal covers a plan to finance health care for aging Americans, payment for providers who accept Medicare as well as extensions of health care programs for children and the poor. Also at risk is $7.2 Billion in funding for community health centers.
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Making Progress: New Physician Payment Plan Being Considered
One of the primary causes of consternation among American physicians and other practitioners is the steady decline in Medicare reimbursement, especially relative to inflation, over the last several years. To the medical community, the situation has become untenable and may be a leading factor in the decision of many a caregiver to seek early retirement.
See PostThe Evolution of Acute Pain Management
In the not-too-distant past, if a patient presented for a painful shoulder procedure, the mode of anesthesia would be general. As the use of interscalene nerve blocks became more popular and prevalent, a separate charge would be added for the nerve block, thereby increasing the charge by about 20%. Then, as the administration of interscalene blocks became the norm, an additional charge would be added for the use of ultrasonic guidance (USG) to confirm the position of the block. Initially, these USG charges were covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare. Once they became the norm, however, the USG payment started becoming inclusive. The story has become a familiar refrain. As a new clinical service is introduced and is proven effective, the American Medical Association (AMA) recognizes the service with an appropriate CPT code and payers include the procedure on their fee schedule. When the service becomes the norm, however, payment gradually disappears.
See PostDrug Prices on the Way Down? Administration Issues New Mandate
Having just come through a particularly painful inflationary period, it would be nice to hear news of prices stabilizing or even going down. To many, this seems like a pipe dream; but earlier this week, reports out of Washington indicated there will, in fact, be lower prices that Americans can expect to see—at least as it concerns a particular type of product.
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