Archive for November, 2007

E&M Guidelines and Patient Care

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

The Happy Hospitalist has posted on the mysteries of documenting for Medicare that one deserves reimbursement for delivering medical care to a patient. HH’s description of the documentation hoops through which physicians now must jump is detailed enough that it’s actually difficult to read. Which is the point.
The E&M (”evaluation and management”) guidelines, introduced […]

Posted in Wonkonian Rationing, Primary Care in America | 3 Comments »

Let’s You Sue Medicare

Monday, November 26th, 2007

A post on this site last week provoked an enlightening discussion, which DrRich will now summarize for you, following which he will solicit a volunteer for a noble but dangerous mission.
The issue at hand is the contracts that insurance companies and Medicare present to doctors, which, while their terms are remarkably unfavorable, doctors sign with […]

Posted in Wonkonian Rationing | 5 Comments »

Two New Reviews for Fixing American Healthcare

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

“Through the use of a simple quadrant device, Fogoros gives consumers an understanding of how various healthcare systems work, and their multifarious-not to mention nefarious-implications. Fogoros proceeds-with gin-clear specifics, propped by ample research, and with an abiding sense of decency-to balance fairness with the common good. Informed and humane. Some presidential candidate would be […]

Posted in Fixing American Healthcare | No Comments »

The Practical Aspects of Fighting Confidentiality Clauses

Monday, November 19th, 2007

Last week, Roy M. Poses of Health Care Renewal asked the question: Why do physicians habitually sign contracts with health insurance companies, often without even reading them, when they know or suspect those contracts to contain language placing them or their patients at a disadvantage?
His question was prompted by a recent article in the […]

Posted in Gekkonian Rationing | 7 Comments »

One Hell of an Exit Strategy

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007

How else to explain the strange behavior of insurance companies?
Item 1: Bob Laszewski at Health Care Policy and Marketplace Renewal points us to a Los Angeles Times article describing how one health insurance company (Health Net Inc.) has systematized its practice of rescinding health insurance policies of patients who become sick. The article […]

Posted in General Rationing Issues | No Comments »

Why Implantable Defibrillators Have To Be Rationed

Tuesday, November 6th, 2007

Before leaving medical practice eight years ago to become a writer and consultant, DrRich spent nearly 20 years as a cardiac electrophysiologist - a cardiologist specializing in the treatment of heart rhythm problems. And from 1982 until he left practice, his major research focus was to help advance the safety, usability and effectiveness of […]

Posted in General Rationing Issues | 2 Comments »