This “policy” isn’t going to “save” anybody. Hospitals already have patient safety initiatives in place as a result of the bogus report from the IOM. And, as mentioned here ad nauseum, some of these “mistakes”, such as pressure ulcers, etc are not mistakes but complications of being sick. This is just a politically correct way for Medicare to save money, pure and simple.

But Mrs. Jones would have had problems anyway. Regardless of whether Medicare would or would not have paid for her infection, Mrs. Jones is one sick lady.

In the meantime, dozens or hundreds or thousands of patients ARE safer because the hospital was forced to take steps to be sure its patient safety practices were superior to what they were before Medicare was willing to pay for mistakes.

I’m sorry for Mrs. Jones. I’m pleased for those this new policy will save.

Trisha Torrey
EveryPatientsAdvocate.com/blog