Published by admin September 30th, 2008 in News.Closed
You don’t expect to pay for something that was done wrong. Starting October 1, 2008 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have said they won’t either. The CMS will use its financial clout to improve patient safety and control costs by no longer paying for what are known as “Never Events”.Defined by several national quality measurement organizations, “never events” include surgical errors such as procedures performed on the wrong body part or on the wrong patient. In addition to wrong-site surgery and serious medication errors, “never events” also include a variety of other complications. Initially they started with 8 events but now have expanded the list to 11. Continue reading ‘Never Events and You’
Medical debt is the second most common reason why American’s file bankruptcy even those with insurance. A frightening statistic from the Federal General Accounting Office study reported that as many as 95 percent of all hospital bills include overcharges This could make for an interesting conversation during the cocktail hour at the American Hospital Association convention.
Hospitals will use the excuse that it is nearly impossible to keep up with the various billing programs of 40 to 50 different insurance companies and Medicare and Medicaid. All of these organizations have their own forms and codes for “who’s covered for what, under what circumstances” rules, and own billing and payment systems. “The medical billing system is complicated and confusing,” admits Rick H. Wade, senior vice president of the American Hospital Association, which represents most of the hospitals in the United States. On Dec. 27, 2002, he told a “Dateline NBC” investigative team, “Trying to understand all the code words and jargon can turn your brain into oatmeal.”
Many hospitals overprice procedures and supplies egregiously. “It’s not unusual to see supply items marked up sometimes as much as 1000 percent,” says Randall Marrs, owner of Medical Audit Recovery Services in Tulsa, Okla. “I’ve seen an oral swab billed for $55, when a package would cost you $2 at the drug store.” Saline solution, which is often billed as much as $75 per 1000 ml, costs the hospital no more than 35 to 40 cents, he adds. Those are details you may not notice if your hospital co-pay is a fixed amount. But if you have to pay a portion of the bill say 10% or 20% you’re paying part of those inflated costs.Continue reading ‘Medical debt is the second most common reason why Americans file bankruptcy’
Published by admin August 11th, 2008 in News.Closed
If you have a regular doctor, have you ever called his or her office after 5 pm or on Saturday or Sunday? The answering machine usually says, “If you think you have an emergency, go to your nearest emergency room.”
The message was clear. You are now faced with having to make the decision on what type of care is needed. Visits to emergency departments are staggering with close to 115 million patients treated during 2005. This represents a 26 percent increase in patients over the past decade compared to a 12.3 percent increase in the countries population. During this same time period 15 percent of hospitals ERs were closed. The number of patients results in busy ERs with the average wait exceeding 3.3 hours. Patients are treated based on a system of triage with most serious being seen first.
Today, in addition to the Hospital Emergency Department you have the following options available: Continue reading ‘“If This Is An Emergency, Please Go To Your Nearest Emergency Room”’
· Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
· Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure lasting two minutes or more
· Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
· Changes in vision
· Difficulty speaking
· Confusion or changes in mental status, unusual behavior, difficulty waking
· Any sudden or severe pain
· Uncontrolled bleeding
· Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
· Coughing or vomiting blood
· Suicidal or homicidal feelings
· Unusual abdominal pain
Welcome to CrisisID. Thank you for joining us online. This week Meningitis makes the News.
Meningitis can be a serious infection, and it can be contagious – which is why outbreaks make the news. Such was the case on July 24, 2008, when there was an outbreak of meningitis at the Eisenhower State Office Building in Topeka, the Kansas capital. State officials sent an e-mail to the building’s more than 800 employees, informing them of the cases and urging them to seek treatment from their personal health care provider if they show any symptoms.
Following is very important information that we have gleaned from the internet to help you protect yourself and your loved ones from the scourge of meningitis. It comes from various sources which we have deemed as reliable and hope you take the time to look through. CrisisID’s sole reason for being is to keep you and your family as safe as they can be.
Meningococcal disease is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection that can lead to meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or meningococcal septicemia, an infection of the blood. Continue reading ‘Meningitis - It Needs to be Shot!!!’
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate an ongoing multi-state outbreak of human Salmonella serotype Saintpaul infections. An epidemiologic investigation comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons has identified consumption of raw tomatoes as the likely source of the illnesses. The specific type and source of tomatoes is under investigation; however, the data suggest that illnesses are linked to consumption raw red plum, red Roma, and round red tomatoes, and products containing these raw tomatoes.Continue reading ‘Investigation of Outbreak of Infections Caused by Salmonella Saintpaul’
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