| | | >> So doctors are busier, ERs are busier, but these people are not getting "proper health care" ? What "proper health care" were they getting before these providers were so much busier?
The bureaucracy in health care has subsumed the business of taking care of patients. It isn't ALL Obamacare -- the worst of it was put in place by the Stimulus (the EHR Mandate). This is one of the things I predicted on the other thread which came true, and you conveniently failed to point it out when you were explaining to me all the things I got wrong.
And it is a disaster. Physicians have spent a ton of money to get EHR systems up and running on the basis that they would received reimbursement for those expenditures out of the stimulus money. But the bureaucratic requirements are so ridiculous that only a small portion have been able to qualify. Meanwhile, because the systems were poorly (and hastily) designed, instead of HELPING they have hurt, BADLY. So, in order to comply with the mandate (and avoid being docked on already insufficient Medicare/Medicaid payments), they are wasting a substantial portion of each day doing useless shit to comply. Like trying to encourage people to login to their website and view their health records. No one gives a shit. Yet, doctors are having to waste time on this. This is not suitable material for this thread because these problems would fill a couple volumes easily.
Another stack of nonsense -- and you can google it if you wish -- is the so called "PQRS" (Physician Quality Reporting System), which providers are spending a TON of time on now. Total government bureaucracy. No benefit whatsoever.
Upcoming in October, the change to ICD10 -- something that wasn't part of ACA, but is typical government bureaucracy. No one feels it is necessary to have four diagnosis codes related to "Sucked In to Jet Engine".
  V97.33 Sucked into jet engine
  V97.33XA …… initial encounter
V97.33XD …… subsequent encounter
 V97.33XS …… sequela
While having four DIFFERENT codes for injury by a propeller.
V97.32 Injured by rotating propeller
V97.32XA …… initial encounter
V97.32XD …… subsequent encounter
V97.32XS …… sequela
And then, to top it off, how can you need the eight codes above but not have everything covered?
 V97.89 Other air transport accidents, not elsewhere classified
 V97.89XA …… initial encounter
V97.89XD …… subsequent encounter
 V97.89XS …… sequela
Now, you may think this doesn't matter or is not important. But for these codes to mean anything at all, a physician has to spend his valuable time LOOKING UP THE BEST CODE for EVERY SINGLE VISIT.
So, yes, doctors are busier, but not just because they're seeing more people (when they were already overloaded); rather, it is because they are covered up with government red tape.
People did get better care before the ACA because providers were less concerned with superfluous documentation and more concerned with caring for the patient. |
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