Business of Medicine
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New land mines in your next (and even current) employment contract
Physicians getting a new employment contract – or even those asked to renegotiate their current contract – may face some tough clauses. Here’s...
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Docs: Insurers’ payment delays, downcoding a ‘revenue grab’
Demand for documentation on many routine claims by ambulatory care groups is slowing payment; more complex claims are routinely downcoded by major...
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Major insurers running billions of dollars behind on payments to hospitals and doctors
Substantial payment delays can be seen on Anthem’s books. On June 30, 2019, before the pandemic, 43% of the insurer’s medical bills for that...
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New data illustrate pandemic pivot to telehealth by patients, physicians
Psychiatrists, dermatologists, urologists, and primary care physicians were among the highest users of teleconferencing for patient visits 6...
From the Journals
Predicted pandemic retirement of many physicians hasn’t happened
A new JAMA study suggests that a fairly low percentage of doctors have left practice because of COVID-19, contrary to numbers in some surveys.
From the Journals
Study finds paying people to participate in clinical trials is not unethical
Researchers examine how varying cash incentives affect clinical trial recruitment, assessment of risk, and perception of coercion.
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Greater portal use gives patients access, doctors headaches
Patients who are encouraged by their doctors to use portals are more likely to do so, meaning more access for patients, and, in some cases, more...
Latest News
Three ‘bad news’ payment changes coming soon for physicians
The proposed rule for physician payments contained three big payment negatives, although there were some positive notes too.
From the Journals
Cavernous gender gap in Medicare payments to cardiologists
The differences persisted after adjustment for physician experience and subspecialty, number of charges submitted, unique billing codes used, and...
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Feds slap UPMC, lead cardiothoracic surgeon with fraud lawsuit
The whistleblower suit alleges fraudulent billing tied to concurrent surgeries and ‘longstanding, knowing, and egregious violations of the public...
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I did peer review: I saw turf wars, ego, and unfairness
“Because of how opaque [the peer review process is], it immediately puts physicians on the defensive, and it doesn’t always succeed in what it’s...