Posts tagged 'medicare patients'
There are more and more issues surrounding saving Medicare money lately, and there are a lot of ideas swirling around to make that happen. One idea that has come to the fore and was featured in the Boston Globe is a way to help patients on Medicare, give them better service and better outcomes, and, at the same time save Medicare a lot of money – possibly half of its shortfall. Is it possible to do all these things at once? According to experts, it is.
One of the highest costs that Medicare is paying for is stays in the hospital. Most of these stays are necessary, and nobody is questioning this point. The issue at hand is that many seniors on Medicare come out of the hospital only to return again within 30 days, and in many of these cases, this could be avoided.
Research has shown that patients return for several main reasons. One reason is that they acquired an infection while in the hospital and it has reoccurred or flared up. Another reason is that they are unclear about what to do upon discharge and their condition worsens because they are not following up correctly. The third reason is that nobody has followed up with them.
Some readmissions are necessary, and nobody is disputing that fact. However, studies show that if patients were cared for differently when they were in the hospital in the first place, there would be fewer complications, such as infection, and, as a result, a lower number of patients would return. It has been suggested that if Medicare paid less for readmissions but gave bonuses to hospitals whose readmissions were lower in number, the outcomes for all parties would be better. In hospitals where this was tested, the patients had less complications and readmissions, the hospitals and Medicare saved money.
In addition, helping patients understand what needs to happen after discharge is a huge factor in whether they return for readmission or not. Having a discharge nurse or coach with easy and non-confusing instructions regarding medication and other discharge information has helped lower the readmission rate in hospitals that employed this step. Also, having a nurse follow-up by calling the patient and discussing what is happening with them has lowered readmissions for cardiac patients in one hospital by over 75%.
The Boston Globe article suggested that Medicare look at how it is rewarding hospitals, and reward them with bonuses when they save money, rather than paying them well to keep their beds full – even on readmissions.
With Medicare funding at question and lawmakers searching for answers, this is an important issue and the Boston Globe article makes some logical points. Hospitals and lawmakers out there: are you listening?
Because Congress stood firm and overturned President Bush’s veto, not only are physicians and their patients on Medicare protected for now, but other provisions have been spared as well.
The developments have made it possible for individuals dealing with Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) wounds and issues associated with them to be able to maintain assistance and care in their homes. Not only does this save the system money by keeping these individuals out of the hospital, it also allows them to have the treatment in privacy and comfort at home.
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI), the company that provides this technical and specialized type of treatment is on the cutting edge of medical technology and is devoted to discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of innovative, high technology products for wound care, tissue regeneration and therapeutic support systems. KCI has been researching and developing these products and technology for over 30 years, and has become a world-renown leader in its field, helping patients around the world enhance their healing and their lives.
KCI has developed procedures that help patients dealing with complex wounds requiring advanced care, tissue-based products used for reconstructive and uro-gynecologic surgery, and development, creation and design of specialty beds, mattresses and mattress substitutes as well as other equipment to help reduce the skins breakdown, address pulmonary complications and assist caregivers in handling and moving patients of size.
Because of the stand that Congress took, making certain that many necessary Medicare benefits were not eliminated and giving lawmakers enough time to create a strong, well-thought out, long-term Medicare solution, many patients who need KCI’s VAC and other critical care supplies and treatment at home, will not have to go without it.
For Medicare recipients who need these services – and who are already dealing with the struggles of recovery – today’s vote to override the President’s veto is one less thing they will have to worry about in their efforts to get well.
It is now mid-July and Congress has been going back and forth with President Bush over Medicare cuts to doctors for what seems like forever. In a strong show of bipartisanship, Congress, last week, after the July 4th break, voted to block the 10.6% cuts to doctors who accept patients on Medicare. This was a relief to thousands of doctors and millions of patients who depend on Medicare to help keep their ailments and illnesses under control. If these cuts were to go into effect, many doctors – who are struggling to keep treating Medicare patients even at the current payment rates – would have to cut the number of patients that they could continue to treat, if any. As a result, these patients would end up without a personal physician, likely escalating their diseases and costing the system even more money. So it was a relief all around when Congress voted to maintain these benefits.
That relief was short-lived, though, since President Bush, of course, who has been threatening for months to veto this vote if it went through, did just so. It is unfortunate that this president is “so out of touch,” was an observation by Barbara Boxer.
Congress, however reacted how it promised it would react by overriding the veto. Democrats and Republicans who saw the urgency and the value of the vote, stood firm and saw to it that the President’s veto did not stand.
The AMA’s reaction to Congress overriding the veto was to say in support of Congress, “Today we celebrate that Congress heard the voices of millions of patients and physicians and voted to override President Bush’s veto and protect the health of America.
For now, patients and physicians can breathe a sigh of relief, however, during the next year, Congress will have to work on a permanent solution to this issue and other issues that are cause for concern and debate regarding Medicare, and they will have to come up with a balance that will suit as many people as possible. This will not be an easy task, but for the time being, today has been a good day for Congress, physicians and their patients.
