Comments on: More on the New Medicare Payment Rules http://blog.hcfama.org/2007/08/20/more-on-the-new-medicare-payment-rules/ The Ultimate Massachusetts Health Care Insider Information Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:46:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Ron Norton http://blog.hcfama.org/2007/08/20/more-on-the-new-medicare-payment-rules/#comment-1030 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:14:33 +0000 http://blog.hcfama.org/?p=1137#comment-1030 Dr. McConnell,

Sir, I understand your confusion, those of us who deliver care think that the patient should be the central issue. However, we are clearly misguided, it is all about the money. Those who require complicated and risky procedures should receive no care, as this might cost an insurer some cash. The young and healthy, who require no care can have as much nothing as they need.

]]> By: Douglas McConnell,M.D. http://blog.hcfama.org/2007/08/20/more-on-the-new-medicare-payment-rules/#comment-1029 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:00:51 +0000 http://blog.hcfama.org/?p=1137#comment-1029 Beware of unintended consequences. When I operate on a diabetic patient and they do get mediastinitis redo surgery is usually needed. A plastic surgeon and an anesthesiologist are often involved to deal with this complex problem and move a muscle flap into the area of the necrotic infected sternum. So how am I supposed to get these physicians involved if medicare “won’t pay”? Am I the original surgeon now at financial risk for this unfortunate problem? If so, I and many other surgeons may cease to offer complex risky surgery to these patients. Then what?

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