Comments on: "Medicare should pay for DNR orders" http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Happymanhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html#comment-85535 Happyman Sun, 11 May 2008 13:44:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html#comment-85535 jb - <br/><br/>the hospital gets paid a fixed rate from medicare part A for a "DRG". <br/><br/>The physician's reimbursement is separate, covered by medicare PART B. I think the point is that the DNR discussion w/family should be a separate billable service, akin to e.g. a procedure like insertion of a central venous catheter.<br/><br/>Just fyi. jb –

the hospital gets paid a fixed rate from medicare part A for a “DRG”.

The physician’s reimbursement is separate, covered by medicare PART B. I think the point is that the DNR discussion w/family should be a separate billable service, akin to e.g. a procedure like insertion of a central venous catheter.

Just fyi.

]]> By: jbhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html#comment-85502 jb Thu, 08 May 2008 19:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html#comment-85502 It's the hospital that should provide a hefty payment to each physician who obtains a DNR order from the family. The hospital is receiving a fixed payment from Medicare for each patient (depending on final diagnosis). The DNR status determines whether the hospital has to pay for days and weeks in the ICU, multiple expensive trips to the OR, and a course of Xigris ($6800/treatment), or a few days of "comfort care," at minimal cost. We're talking tens of thousands of dollars, at a minimum, to the hospital's bottom line. How about giving the doc a 15% or so gratuity to show gratitude? It’s the hospital that should provide a hefty payment to each physician who obtains a DNR order from the family. The hospital is receiving a fixed payment from Medicare for each patient (depending on final diagnosis). The DNR status determines whether the hospital has to pay for days and weeks in the ICU, multiple expensive trips to the OR, and a course of Xigris ($6800/treatment), or a few days of “comfort care,” at minimal cost. We’re talking tens of thousands of dollars, at a minimum, to the hospital’s bottom line. How about giving the doc a 15% or so gratuity to show gratitude?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html#comment-85496 Anonymous Thu, 08 May 2008 15:03:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/05/medicare-should-pay-for-dnr-orders.html#comment-85496 well put. In providing NO incentive whatsoever, coupled with the threat of lawsuits for the 95-year-old demented nursing patient with an "involved" family, it's just so much easier to pursue agressive measures & hospital transfer for even minor things, rather than address DNR status and comfort-care. well put. In providing NO incentive whatsoever, coupled with the threat of lawsuits for the 95-year-old demented nursing patient with an “involved” family, it’s just so much easier to pursue agressive measures & hospital transfer for even minor things, rather than address DNR status and comfort-care.

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