May 1, 2017 Recent News

Healthcare

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Malpractice

Physicians

Healthcare

MACRA will have a major impact on hospitals who employ physicians.  A release by the Rand Corporation says that if physicians choose low risk incentives hospital incentives would raise by $32 billion.  However, if the physicians choose medium risk incentives hospitals would lose $22-42 billion.  If the physicians are gamblers and choose high strength incentives hospital income would decline up to $250 billion.  Do you believe the hospitals will allow their physicians to choose?

Oregon is considering dropping about 350,000 from the Ocare Medicaid rolls to balance the budget.  They have a $1.6 Billion shortfall.  The legislators are using this to scare the population to have more taxes.  This is typical of states where the legislators can not and will not show fiscal sobriety.

Iowa has a problem.  Wellmark is exiting the state exchanges due to one outlier patient with a genetic disorder that is costing the insurer $1 million per month.  They can either raise their rates and have few join in the exchange or have the outlier removed from the exchange and paid for by general taxes.  they decided for the third option of none of the above.        Top

Hospitals

A mother's estate sold all of her jewelry after she died and gave $10,000 to Children's Hospital of Orange County to pay a bill that was 35 years old.  This was her wish.  Her son was born in a nearby hospital with a collapsed lung and was transferred to the children's Hospital.  She could not afford the bill and the hospital waived it.  

A patient threatened to shot guards after he was ordered to leave the hospital following treatment in the ED.  This occurred at St. Luke's Hospital in Lehigh, Pennsylvania.  

A University of Denver student illegally gained access to Denver Health Medical Center.  She said she was a medical student and engaged with at least one patient.  She studies neuroscience at CU-Denver.  

Brigham and Women's Hospital is offering 1600 people voluntary buy-outs.  Physicians and PhDs  are not on the list.  They have more expenses and income is not rising.        Top

Physicians

The poor millennial going to pre-medical school are having problems with the competitiveness.  It is too difficult to spend long hours in school, studying and then having to do early morning classes.  Pray, feel sorry for them.  Some even complain of bullying. They seem to think they have to make sure their professor notices them in class and their fellow pre-meders try to sabotage them.         Top  

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 DISCLAIMER: Although this article is updated periodically, it reflects the author's point of view at the time of publication. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented.