Who: GovHealthIT.com What: On April 2, 2013, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made available their updated data table for EHR Incentive Program (Meaningful Use) attestations, with specification as to which EHR products were used. The initial file, published on data.gov in 2012, showed the first year of experience of Meaningful Use, […]
Who: Center for Public Integrity What: The Obama administration is forging ahead with a multi-billion dollar plan to shift from paper to electronic medical records, despite continuing concerns the program may be prompting some doctors and hospitals to improperly bill higher fees to Medicare. An investigation into those billing questions — which convened a hearing […]
Who: BostonHerald.com What: Health insurance stocks wobbled Tuesday after data released by the federal government pointed to possible steep Medicare Advantage payment cuts in 2014, which could lead to reduced coverage or fewer options for people buying the plans. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Friday after markets closed that it expects costs […]
Although most of us in medicine know the struggles of running a private practice, it is still disconcerting – albeit not surprising – to hear that some doctors are having to file for bankruptcy. In an article on CNNMoney.com, some physicians talk about having to get business loans or use personal funds to keep their […]
Guest Post, John T. Kihm MD Myths abound concerning concierge medicine (CM). Unfortunately these myths prevent good doctors from converting their practices to CM. Let’s look at those myths—maybe you need to work on yourself and your own beliefs. If you practice quality medicine your patients will value you and your work and will pay […]
Although most people like to think that the Supreme Court is above playing politics, some healthcare experts see signs that it might be leaning towards trying to gut the national healthcare reform law. An article on UPI.com says that the high court, dominated by a 5-4 conservative majority, has shown evidence of prejudicial behavior. While […]
‘Tis the season of election campaigning and there is nothing quite so entertaining as watching politicians pensively reconsider their stances on important issues (er, I mean flip-flop). One of the biggest bones of contention in healthcare reform is the so-called individual mandate, seen as Big Brother imposing his socialist grip on freedom-loving Americans. So where […]
With looming reimbursement cuts a perpetual end-of-year drama, more physicians are foregoing insurance plans altogether and going into the ‘concierge medicine’ business. But as an article on Fierce EMR reports, some are blaming this trend on a growing shortage of physicians. In Vermont, one of a few states considering a single-payer system, the number of […]
This video from the Texas Medical Association shows us the Medicare reimbursement issue from a child’s perspective. Grandma and the Big Bad SGR! A huge Medicare cut looms for doctors and Medicare patients. Who might that affect? People like grandma – and those who love her, as the child in this video shows. Unless Congress […]
