Hardball: Specialists are not taking ER calls unless they are reimbursed appropriately. “The study found that specialist physicians aren’t as interested in being on-call for emergency department duty for several reasons, including lack of reimbursement for uninsured patients, the perceived higher risk of malpractice litigation, time away from their practices, and late and unpredictable hours.
At Grandview and Southview, the plastic surgeons requested the hospitals reimburse them at 120 percent of what Medicare and Medicaid reimburse the hospitals for procedures. When the hospitals refused, the doctors pulled their services, McIntosh said.”
