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One of the most important issues this year for emergency medicine physicians — audits — seems to be slipping by without a lot of notice. How is cost containment going to impact emergency physicians? Well, it could put us “up on a RAC,” for starters.
Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) programs that examine physician documentation for signs that an admission was not justified have “corrected” $1.03 billion in “improper payments” by Medicare in Florida, California and New York. In other words, if you (the physician) have not documented how sick the patient is and how long you intend to treat them, your hospital could be denied the admission, have to pay fines and a third-party auditor could be reimbursed a percentage for finding the problem.
Welcome to the inaugural post of Healthcare-Exchange, a forum designed to offer fresh perspective, encourage the exchange of ideas and drive discussion — no matter how controversial — all in the name of healthcare.
A term that’s come to encompass so much more than a doctor’s visit, healthcare in the US has seen more changes over the past few years than in the 20 years before it. From the electronic health record to patient safety to universal coverage, we invite you to weigh in on the issues that will make the biggest impact on the healthcare world in the year ahead. Below, I’ve included my Top Five Predictions for 2010 and want to hear if you’re on the same page:
