The Democrats and the Republican parties’ approaches to Medicare are quite different. Which approach is better? That is the wrong question. Or at least not the most important question. Instead we should consider what could be done now to actually…
The Democrats and the Republican parties’ approaches to Medicare are quite different. Which approach is better? That is the wrong question. Or at least not the most important question. Instead we should consider what could be done now to actually improve patient care quality as a means to reducing costs.
Is there a good solution to the Medicare issue? Setting aside either the Democrats’ approach to basically enact price controls by …
There is a broad consensus among healthcare policy wonks that the 800 pound gorilla in the healthcare cost debate is that a big chunk of the medical care we provide — some say as much as a third — does…
There is a broad consensus among healthcare policy wonks that the 800 pound gorilla in the healthcare cost debate is that a big chunk of the medical care we provide — some say as much as a third — does not help. It may even make things worse for patients. Aside from the ethical issue of doing things that don’t help, and may hurt, this useless and dangerous care is …
As I approach my 50th birthday, I worry about Medicare not being there for me when I become eligible. I have some inside knowledge about Medicare. My parents and in-laws are patients on Medicare. As a doctor, I am a…
As I approach my 50th birthday, I worry about Medicare not being there for me when I become eligible. I have some inside knowledge about Medicare. My parents and in-laws are patients on Medicare. As a doctor, I am a provider for Medicare, and as a public health educator I am a consultant for a Medicare quality improvement organization.
Everyone, including the leaders of both Democratic and Republican parties, agrees that …
The health care crowd is abuzz with the New York Times revelation that Medicare billing rates seem to have increased by billions of dollars in parallel with increased adoption of EHR technologies for both hospitals and ambulatory services. The culprit…
The health care crowd is abuzz with the New York Times revelation that Medicare billing rates seem to have increased by billions of dollars in parallel with increased adoption of EHR technologies for both hospitals and ambulatory services. The culprit for this unexpected increase is the measly E&M code.
Evaluation and Management (E&M) is the portion of a medical visit where the doctor listens to your description of …
The two party’s approaches are quite different. Politicians realize that Medicare will not be able to continue on its current track. Something has to change since the country will simply not be able to afford the inexorable growth and expenditures.…
The two party’s approaches are quite different. Politicians realize that Medicare will not be able to continue on its current track. Something has to change since the country will simply not be able to afford the inexorable growth and expenditures. But politicians do not like to take away entitlements so proposals generally are couched in vague terms and often with positions that are unrealistic.
Over the past several decades medical costs in the United States have escalated rapidly, exceeding the pace of inflation and threatening bankrupt to Medicare. As we heard in last week’s presidential debate, different solutions have been proposed on how to…
Over the past several decades medical costs in the United States have escalated rapidly, exceeding the pace of inflation and threatening bankrupt to Medicare. As we heard in last week’s presidential debate, different solutions have been proposed on how to slow Medicare’s growth and reduce cost. President Obama highlighted his administration’s success in tackling fraud and waste within the system. This strategy appears to be supported across party lines. On …
There was an interesting and important article in the New York Times the other day about the gradual increase in the average E/M coding levels used by doctors over the last few years. For the non-docs, med students and ER…
There was an interesting and important article in the New York Times the other day about the gradual increase in the average E/M coding levels used by doctors over the last few years. For the non-docs, med students and ER trainees out there, here is a brief summary of the way physician billing works in the ER.
During and after the patient encounter, the physician creates a medical …
Since the nomination of Congressman Paul Ryan as the vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party, Medicare has become front and center in the political discussions. To understand the dialogue requires an understanding of Medicare, how it works, where the…
Since the nomination of Congressman Paul Ryan as the vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party, Medicare has become front and center in the political discussions. To understand the dialogue requires an understanding of Medicare, how it works, where the money comes from, how it is spent and why there is such concern for its future costs. Here is an overview.
Medicare was designed in 1965 to serve as “major medical” …
- Johnathan Blaze It is generally agreed upon that the more one values a good or service, the more he or she is willing to pay for it. Most will agree that shoes are important. They keep your feet from…
Good, it’s about time that these greedy doctors get smacked down for being the financial rapists that they are. Medicine in this country is the biggest, most destructive SCAM going on today. Doctors think they are entitled to RIDICULOUS amounts of money for simple routine procedures. – Johnathan Blaze
It is generally agreed upon that the more one values a good or service, the …
Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on much about Medicare, except for getting rid of the fee-for-service system for paying doctors. “If reducing the growth of Medicare spending to sustainable rates and moving away from fee-for-service are ‘ending Medicare as we…
Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on much about Medicare, except for getting rid of the fee-for-service system for paying doctors.
“If reducing the growth of Medicare spending to sustainable rates and moving away from fee-for-service are ‘ending Medicare as we know it,’ then both parties have embraced that goal, writes former OMB Budget Director Alice Rivlin in a Daily Beast commentary.
“Paying providers on a fee-for-service basis offers incentives to …
Have you ever worried about how you’re going to get healthy these days? Has your doctor recommended diet and exercise? Well, if you’re like millions who are struggling to find health, you’re going to need a lot more than just…
Have you ever worried about how you’re going to get healthy these days? Has your doctor recommended diet and exercise? Well, if you’re like millions who are struggling to find health, you’re going to need a lot more than just diet and exercise. You’re going to have to fight like crazy against a mind-set of disease that’s paradoxically disguised as health care.
America’s healthcare system – health insurance companies, government health …
Trying to figure out whether Medicare vouchers are a good idea for patients and their physicians? Then consider these two basic questions: 1. How much will the federal government contribute? 2. Who is at risk for health care cost increases?…
Trying to figure out whether Medicare vouchers are a good idea for patients and their physicians? Then consider these two basic questions:
1. How much will the federal government contribute?
2. Who is at risk for health care cost increases?
How much will the government contribute? The traditional Medicare program has no set limit on how much the federal government will contribute to a beneficiary’s health care, although there are limits on how …
Medicare has suddenly become a centerpiece issue in the 2012 election—but not in a good way. Instead of an informed debate about Medicare’s present and future place in our health care system, the politicians have subjected us to a daily…
Medicare has suddenly become a centerpiece issue in the 2012 election—but not in a good way. Instead of an informed debate about Medicare’s present and future place in our health care system, the politicians have subjected us to a daily assault of nonsense over substance:
Let’s start with the nonsense accusation by Governor Romney that “There’s only one president that I know of in history that robbed Medicare, $716 billion to …
It’s impossible to watch the news these days. Whether you’re conservative, liberal, independent or non-committed, it’s impossible to avoid the political bickering these days as the US Presidential campaign enters its final countdown. As a physician, seeing the video of…
It’s impossible to watch the news these days. Whether you’re conservative, liberal, independent or non-committed, it’s impossible to avoid the political bickering these days as the US Presidential campaign enters its final countdown. As a physician, seeing the video of Granny being pushed off a cliff is about all I can handle.
Seriously?
No politician I know has to deal directly with Granny, but I do. I have to …
A guest column by the American Medical Association, exclusive to KevinMD.com. Physicians contribute significantly to both the health of our patients and the economic health of our nation, and a new report shows that the 2 percent Medicare spending sequestration…
Physicians contribute significantly to both the health of our patients and the economic health of our nation, and a new report shows that the 2 percent Medicare spending sequestration cut will put the jobs supported by the health care industry in jeopardy.
The AMA recently teamed up with the American Hospital …
“The specialist rescheduled me again,” the patient told me, looking embarrassed. ”I think he doesn’t want to see me any more.” “I’m sure that it isn’t that he doesn’t want to see you,” I replied. ”This has to be a…
“The specialist rescheduled me again,” the patient told me, looking embarrassed. ”I think he doesn’t want to see me any more.”
“I’m sure that it isn’t that he doesn’t want to see you,” I replied. ”This has to be a miscommunication with the front desk. It happens all the time; it drives doctors crazy.”
“I don’t know,” he continued. ”I just got on Medicare, and I wonder if maybe he doesn’t want …
Which of the candidates for President proposes to give people a defined amount of federal money (call it a voucher) to buy coverage from competing qualified private insurers (under federal benefit mandates) offered through a health insurance marketplace run by…
Which of the candidates for President proposes to give people a defined amount of federal money (call it a voucher) to buy coverage from competing qualified private insurers (under federal benefit mandates) offered through a health insurance marketplace run by government?
The answer: Mr. Romney, and his new running mate, Paul Ryan. And President Obama.
How is that, you say? Isn’t the Romney/Ryan vision of how to reform health care diametrically opposed …
Medicare has moved to the center of this year’s presidential campaign for a single overriding reason: shrinking the nation’s long-term government deficit demands dealing with health care costs. No one – left, center or right – disagrees with that analysis.…
Medicare has moved to the center of this year’s presidential campaign for a single overriding reason: shrinking the nation’s long-term government deficit demands dealing with health care costs. No one – left, center or right – disagrees with that analysis.
What they also agree on is that limiting health care’s inexorable growth will require cutting future payments to those who deliver care – the doctors and hospitals, the nursing homes and …
They both are and they both aren’t. I’ve never seen a week in health care policy like last week. The media reports have to be in the thousands, all trying to make sense of the furious debate between Obama and…
They both are and they both aren’t.
I’ve never seen a week in health care policy like last week. The media reports have to be in the thousands, all trying to make sense of the furious debate between Obama and Romney over Medicare.
As someone who has studied this issue for more than 20 years, it has also been more than exasperating for me to watch each side trade claims and for …
The selection of Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan as the running mate for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney could have serious consequences for the Medicare program. Ryan, Budget Committee chair for the House of Representatives since Republicans gained control of…
The selection of Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan as the running mate for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney could have serious consequences for the Medicare program.
Ryan, Budget Committee chair for the House of Representatives since Republicans gained control of the chamber 2 years ago, is best known for budget proposal, which includes a plan to overhaul Medicare and transform it …
