Healthcare Update Satellite — 02-13-2014

More medical news from around the web on my other blog at DrWhiteCoat.com. No more “putting it on my account.” Due to cuts in payments from Medicare and Medicaid and expenses for treating uninsured patients, Hutchinson Hospital in Kansas will require payment for emergency department services, radiology, and outpatient surgery services before services are rendered. Emergency department patients will still get screened, but apparently won’t receive non-emergency treatment if a partial payment isn’t made. Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center has implemented the same type of system – along with several other hospitals in the area. Hat tip to Scott (@Bnet_bobcast) for the link. While many people think that emergency departments have to provide patients with medical care, that misconception is only partially true. Federal EMTALA laws only require hospitals to provide care for “emergency” conditions, so chronic back pain, colds, toothaches, and rashes are unlikely to qualify. Many hospitals provide the care anyway, wanting to avoid accusations in the news of “refusing care,” but those winds are changing. Look for prepayment of nonurgent medical care in the emergency department to become a widespread policy as the Unaffordable Insurance Act ratchets down payments to medical providers. You’ll have insurance, but fewer and fewer doctors will be willing to provide you with care. Then look for the government to pass more unf...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs