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and ... is the light at the end of the tunnel really just the *new* healthcare train prepared to run you over?
Consider this fact: While our government continues to debate the different versions of the health care bill currently preparing to go through reconciliation and then be signed into a law that will require every American to purchase health care insurance from a private insurance company, our government has snuck in the back door and cut the salaries of specialists and generalist alike by abolishing consultation codes for specialists, and drastically cutting payments across the board for a variety of procedures in specialties from oncology to neurology to dermatology to cardiology. If you have seen a patient for any problem in the last 3 years (or that patient has been seen at another facility and has been seen by a physician in your area of specialty within the last 3 years) you may not bill a new patient visit...even if the problem is a brand new one.
Medicare cuts began effectively dismantling the payment structure for specialists on Jan 1, 2010 this year and it is an across-the-board cut. The impact of this will be felt by generalists as well, who may end up having to round on patients and not be able to bill. Hospitalists may not be able to bill for H & P's. Bonuses for all practitioners will go down if they are there at all.
Our hospital has projected cost cuts. They will be closing the free outreach clinic and inpatient psych beds now ... another meeting coming this week.
What say you?
Consider this fact: While our government continues to debate the different versions of the health care bill currently preparing to go through reconciliation and then be signed into a law that will require every American to purchase health care insurance from a private insurance company, our government has snuck in the back door and cut the salaries of specialists and generalist alike by abolishing consultation codes for specialists, and drastically cutting payments across the board for a variety of procedures in specialties from oncology to neurology to dermatology to cardiology. If you have seen a patient for any problem in the last 3 years (or that patient has been seen at another facility and has been seen by a physician in your area of specialty within the last 3 years) you may not bill a new patient visit...even if the problem is a brand new one.
Medicare cuts began effectively dismantling the payment structure for specialists on Jan 1, 2010 this year and it is an across-the-board cut. The impact of this will be felt by generalists as well, who may end up having to round on patients and not be able to bill. Hospitalists may not be able to bill for H & P's. Bonuses for all practitioners will go down if they are there at all.
Our hospital has projected cost cuts. They will be closing the free outreach clinic and inpatient psych beds now ... another meeting coming this week.
What say you?
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