What are Your Thoughts on Health Care Reform? April 14, 2010
Posted by Michael Giudici, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS in Health Policy.Tags: Healthcare reform, Quality & outcomes
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As you probably know, this year’s Scientific Sessions Opening Plenary Session will focus on the recently passed health care reform law, the shift toward an outcomes-based payment system and the impact of both on the practice of medicine. For example, Congress did not include a permanent solution to the Medicare physician payment formula in the new law.
I encourage you to complete the Heart Rhythm Society’s short survey to help identify the health care topics and issues that are most important to you and assist us in framing the issues for the Opening Plenary Session panelists. They want to understand the impact of changes such as the new quality-based payment structures, the bundling of services, the impact of changes on the advancement of new electrophysiology technologies, etc., on your practice. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey available at http://hrs.informz.net/survistapro/s.asp?id=3861. (more…)
Health Care Benefits: Time to Rethink Our Approach? March 19, 2010
Posted by Michael Giudici, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS in Health Policy.2 comments
I’m from the Midwest and over the years I’ve watched as good-paying manufacturing jobs have been sent overseas to lower costs. Clearly, the policy-makers in Washington have been asleep at the switch if they thought that somehow we could close factories and increase prosperity.
One of the reasons why jobs go overseas is health care benefits. Health care wasn’t always tied to employment. After WWII, benefits were added to salaries to entice workers. We could uncouple this approach – employers don’t pay your car, home, or life insurance, so why medical? (more…)
HRS Health Policy and Healthcare Reform February 10, 2010
Posted by Michael Giudici, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS in Health Policy.Tags: AF, Atrial fibrillation, Healthcare reform, Medicare
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As a bit of background, I have practiced electrophysiology in my hometown of Davenport, Iowa, for 20 years and I serve on the Heart Rhythm Society’s Health Policy Committee. I’m not a political person by nature and hadn’t really given much thought to health policy until the last few years. I’m in a large cardiology group and am shielded from the day-to-day challenges with payers.
There are two areas that I’d like to bring up to get the discussion going, as I’m sure most of you understand much more about these subjects than I do.
First, to assist the Heart Rhythm Society’s Health Policy staff in advocating on our behalf in the changing health care environment, it would be helpful to hear from you about your experiences working with private health insurance companies and your Medicare regional carriers. For example, what are their coverage polices for atrial fibrillation? (more…)
Heart Rhythm Society
Laurie Racenet, RN, MSN, ANP
Michael Giudici, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS
Heather M. Ross, DNP, ANP-BC, CCDS, CEPS, FHRS
Anne Dubin, MD, FHRS
John D. Day, MD, FHRS
Andrea M. Russo, MD, FACC, FHRS
Joshua M. Cooper, MD, FACC
Amit J. Shanker, MD, FHRS, FACC
Bruce Stambler, MD
David Wiggins, RN, BS BME, CEPS
Fred M. Kusumoto, MD, FHRS
Leonard Ganz, MD, FHRS
christinechiuman
Craig Delaughter, MD, PhD
Ariana Del Negro, Heart Rhythm 2010 Quality
Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS
MSKremers MD,FHRS
Ann C. Garlitski, MD, FACC, FHRS
Alan Cheng, MD, FHRS
Ulrika Birgersdotter-Green, MD
Christopher Clyne, MD, FHRS
Kathleen Blake, MD, MPH, FHRS
David Scher, MD, FHRS
Sanjay Deshpande, MD, FHRS
