Regarding “A step in the right direction”:
I have to agree with the statement on insurance companies. As the administrator of a free-standing ambulatory surgery center, I've had a lot of experience in negotiating insurance contracts for our facility fee over the past 18 months. I have to fight and fight to even get close to Medicare rates, and to this day, not one of my contracts fully pays Medicare rates across the board.
I save these companies a lot of money compared to what they would pay if the patient had the same procedure in a hospital, but they want more blood than that; it is unethical across the board. I provide an incredible service with top of the line quality of care with excellent outcomes. At least the CMS has done enough due diligence to analyze what it costs to do a case. But for some reason, all the companies don't seem to care that I have to pay staff to do the work and provide information technology, insurances and other overhead items.
We are concerned about the future of the CMS, but I project the insurance companies will be the ones putting us out of business first. What a shame since ASCs have proven themselves over and over to provide patients with high-quality, convenient and less-expensive options for surgery. As most insurance companies are private industry, basically it is their way or no way, no matter how much we benefit them and the patients.
Linda Bedwell
Registered nurseCentral Florida Regional AdministratorAscent Healthcare AdvisorsBrandon (Fla.) Ambulatory Surgery Center
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