Recently physician payments for medicare were almost cut 10.6% until a veto resulted in a 0.5% increase. This was heralded by many as a victory, but is it truly success?
Certainly, being paid more than less is almost always an improvement, but the whole picture must be examined. With every year physician reimbursements have generally been reduced, with more money being allocated to expensive devices or medications. Malpractice premiums have risen, and patient expectations have only increased. With the upcoming emergence of baby boomers now requiring all forms of eye care, the current health care system will not be able to sustain the needs.
I recently had the fortune to discuss this issue in an interview with Dr. Uday Devgan. One concept presented is that there will be two ophthalmologists; the ophthalmologist who only performs a few premium cataract surgeries a week, and the ophthalmologist who performs hundreds of traditional IOLs a month to make up for the lower reimbursements. Another possibility is for ophthalmologists to opt out of insurance plans altogether. In fact, many established ophthalmologists already have.
There are many more options, and I invite you all to share your feelings, experiences, and ideas here so we may all (physicians and patients) benefit in the future.