NYT: Hospitals Get Bailed Out While Independent MD's Struggle
Doctors Without Patients: ‘Our Waiting Rooms Are Like Ghost Towns.’
As visits plummet because of the coronavirus, small physician practices are struggling to survive.
www.nytimes.com
“Here’s the scary thing — as these practices start to break down and go bankrupt, we could have more consolidation among the health care systems,” Dr. Crow said. That concerns health economists, who say the steady rise in costs is linked to the clout these big hospital networks wield with private insurers to charge high prices. (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - May 6, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: drusso Tags: Pain Medicine Source Type: forums
We Should Wage War on the Insurance Companies
Sorry to incite violence, but it's true.
This year while front line healthcare workers continue to put themselves and family members at risk in order to care for the sick, insurance companies are posting record profits. UnitedHealth revealed earnings of $5 billion dollars during the first quarter of 2020. Up 3.4% from the same quarter last year (UnitedHealth Reports Profit, Citing Falling Demand for...
We Should Wage War on the Insurance Companies (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - April 26, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: bikERdoc Tags: Emergency Medicine Source Type: forums
Regretting the offer I signed
In the wake of this pandemic, I worry about the financial solvency of institutions. When I was picking an offer for my first attending job, I heard rumblings about how the institution I ultimately signed with changed management several times in recent years. I didn't think that was going to matter for me. It seemed like they were investing in mental health, and had recently merged with an insurance company. Those seemed like good things. Now, I look them up and they have cash on hand worth...
Regretting the offer I signed (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - April 2, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: meow1985 Tags: Psychiatry Source Type: forums
COVID and IPR
Just curious how the current situation is affecting your inpatient service. Some insurance companies are no longer requiring prior auth. Now the bill passed yesterday did away with the 3-hour therapy tolerance requirement. We’re expecting our rehab unit (at an academic medical center) will be full constantly, significant pressure from acute primary teams to take patients, and consults to increase drastically. How are y’all dealing with it? (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - March 30, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: ErrantWhatever Tags: PM&R Source Type: forums
Insurance Companies May Seek Congressional Bailout
Coronavirus May Add Billions to the Nation’s Health Care Bill
Insurance premiums could spike as much as 40 percent next year, a new analysis warns, as employers and insurers confront the projected tens of billions of dollars in additional costs of treating coronavirus patients.
www.nytimes.com
Sorry if this is behind a paywall.
The insurance companies didn't anticipate COVID-19 in their 2020 rates. 2021 may see a 40% increase in premiums unless Congress bails out the insurance industry with "re-insurance."
Unbelievable... Their CEO's ...
Source: Student Doctor Network - March 30, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: southerndoc Tags: Emergency Medicine Source Type: forums
ASA: Over 40% of Anesthesiologists Saw Contracts Terminated in Past 6 Months
ASA Survey Shows Health Insurers Abruptly Terminating Physician Contracts, Dramatically Cutting Payment Rates Forcing Physicians Out of Network
A new national survey from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) finds physician anesthesiologists are being forced out of network as insurance companies terminate their contracts, often with little or no notice.
www.asahq.org
Anyone had experienced this sort of thing? (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - March 8, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: TheLoneWolf Tags: Anesthesiology Source Type: forums
Hippocampal avoidance
Randomized phase III evidence shows us this is superior to conventional WBRT. Is this standard of care now? What has been the experience with insurers for those who have been doing this already?
Hippocampal Avoidance During Whole-Brain Radiotherapy Plus Memantine for Patients With Brain Metastases: Phase III Trial NRG Oncology CC001. - PubMed - NCBI (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - February 23, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Pointless Tags: Radiation Oncology Source Type: forums
Gabapentin for anxiety, refused by pharmacist
I have a 17-year-old patient who was started on a low dose of gabapentin, 100-200 mg tid prn for anxiety, by her PCP a couple of years ago, and it has worked well. She doesn't really need it much, but needs a new prescription because her old one is expired. Surprisingly, it's not the insurance company preventing the prescription from being filled, but the pharmacist. I guess this pharmacist wants proof, in the form of scholarly research, showing that gabapentin is effective for treating...
Gabapentin for anxiety, refused by pharmacist (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - January 16, 2020 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: SpongeBob DoctorPants Tags: Psychiatry Source Type: forums
Billing for weekly therapist+med management
I'm meeting with a few clients weekly for therapy with med management. Most of the time is spent doing psychotherapy with occasional dose changes. I am new to billing insurance. I billed one so far as 99213+90836 (15 mins meds plus 45 mins therapy). Does this make sense? I'm concerned that the insurance company will view it as overbilling if something like this comes in every week for a client. Would it be better to do 90837 most weeks and then one week a month do 99214 plus 90833? It seems...
Billing for weekly therapist+med management (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - December 28, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: roastedcapers Tags: Psychiatry Source Type: forums
What is your side gig?
Let's face it, insurance companies have huge lobbying power, the new legislature will pass sooner or later.
So... What side gigs of supplemental income do you guys have?
Edit: how much are you making from this supplemental source? Ballpark figures please
And how much time are you investing in these side gigs. (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - December 18, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: cyanide12345678 Tags: Emergency Medicine Source Type: forums
Surprise medical bill bill
Both CMG’s and insurance companies claiming victimhood.
Legislation on surprise medical bills would hit physician staffing industry - Marketplace
Congress is debating multiple proposals that would protect patients from surprise medical bills. But the physician staffing industry is pushing back.
www.marketplace.org (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - December 10, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: nimbus Tags: Emergency Medicine Source Type: forums
Health partners closing retail pharmacies - lay off 300
HealthPartners to close all retail pharmacies, lay off 300: HealthPartners, a nonprofit healthcare provider and insurer in Bloomington, Minn., will close all of its retail pharmacies and shut down its mail-order pharmacy operations next year, according to the Pioneer Press.
HealthPartners, a nonprofit healthcare provider and insurer in Bloomington, Minn., will close all of its retail pharmacies and shut down its mail-order pharmacy operations next year, according to the Pioneer Press.
www.beckershospitalreview.com
A non profit organization couldn't...
Source: Student Doctor Network - November 17, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: kareena77 Tags: Job Market Source Type: forums
Pharmacy exit strategy
How many of you have an exit strategy from pharmacy? I'm not talking to you guys who are 50-60 and have done great in the stock market. I'm talking to the pharmacist in his 20s and 30s that wants to get out. Any of you in that boat?
I've seriously considered it and have expanded my streams of income to prepare for it. Pharmacy is changing my friends. We will get to a point where we are at the mercy of either the insurance companies or the federal government. I don't think any of us will...
Pharmacy exit strategy (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - October 18, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: BenJammin Tags: Pharmacy Source Type: forums
Re: Child vaccination rates in England fall across the board, figures show. A question to doctors ’ insurers
(Source: BMJ Comments)
Source: BMJ Comments - October 3, 2019 Category: General Medicine Source Type: forums
Life as a PA Pharmacist is Good!
I made the switch from retail to working for an insurance company as a PA pharmacist and I love it! I highly recommend it if you can find an opportunity. I work from 8:30-5pm 5 days a week (no weekends!). I currently review a lot of expensive medications for approval/denial - mostly specialty meds and a lot of Hep C meds. I was worried about moving to an office environment, but I requested a stand-up work station and got one. I make slightly less than I did in retail ($4k) - but more than...
Life as a PA Pharmacist is Good! (Source: Student Doctor Network)
Source: Student Doctor Network - September 16, 2019 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: edwardmatt83 Tags: Pharmacy Source Type: forums
