Primary care doctors, here’s a procedure we should make our own.
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Funny post as usual from placebo journal. The reality is that the pervese reimbursement system we have would suggest that for primary care to survive, we should remove ear wax on every patient that we see. The RVU (relative value unit) for ear wax removal is 1.26 which is not far from the RVU for a level 3 (uncomplicated) visit (CPT code 99213). Medicare pays rought $68 for an uncomplicated physician visit but would payabout $51 for ear wax removal. The uncomplicated visit which is supposed to occur in 15 minutes (normally takes longer) would generate about $270/hr. In that time we could do at least 10 ear wax removals (that’s being very conservative) generating over $500/hr. This is a perfect example of how ridiculous our reimbursement system acutually is.
I’m an ENT, and I can tell you the most gratified patients are those for whom you’ve suddenly restored their hearing by removing a stubborn impaction. How many “TA DA!” moments do we get in medicine?
Did you see my take on this subject?
It is really sad when MDs are now fighting for the ear wax procedure. Thanks MNB.
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