As you know, I've been going through a massive pile of disorganized papers for tax preparation purposes. In the process I found a one year old pile of work papers that I intended to organize. I apparently forgot about them. What were they? They were mostly unsigned medical necessity durable goods requests. Things that need to be signed and returned to the durable goods supplier in order for them to get paid by the Medicare National Bank.
I'm sure they eventually got signed after several re-faxed requests. Oops. Sorry about that. More uncompensated work that nobody pays for. How does Medicare, Medicaid and every private insurance company get away with this practice of consuming physician time and resources without paying for it? Why haven't physicians, as a matter of default, started charging for every piece of paper that comes through their office? I know some offices have started to charge for phone calls, emails, disability and FMLA forms.
Why charge for the phone call but not the Medicaid preauthorization request? When did the physician's office become the verifier and enforcer of patient benefits. And not only that, but why are they expected to tackle the job for free.
Perhaps the best way to handle the situation is simply to schedule an appointment every time any request for anything comes through the office. The doctor and patient could fill out the paper work or make the phone call together, with the patient present. If the patient is upset that making an appointment to come in so the doctor can sign the verification form for their walker a waste of their time, then they will have a pretty good sense on how frustrating the whole process is for physician offices and have an excellent incentive to contact their Senators or bombard their employer and insurance company with angry letters. Perhaps they will understand more clearly how bad it has become. Having patients come in for a scheduled appointment does two things:
Why charge for the phone call but not the Medicaid preauthorization request? When did the physician's office become the verifier and enforcer of patient benefits. And not only that, but why are they expected to tackle the job for free.
Perhaps the best way to handle the situation is simply to schedule an appointment every time any request for anything comes through the office. The doctor and patient could fill out the paper work or make the phone call together, with the patient present. If the patient is upset that making an appointment to come in so the doctor can sign the verification form for their walker a waste of their time, then they will have a pretty good sense on how frustrating the whole process is for physician offices and have an excellent incentive to contact their Senators or bombard their employer and insurance company with angry letters. Perhaps they will understand more clearly how bad it has become. Having patients come in for a scheduled appointment does two things:
- It turns uncompensated work into compensated work.
- It helps the patient understand what's necessary to provide care for them in the third party insurance model.
Either patients don't care, or they don't understand how bad the paper pushing has gotten. Making them come in fixes both.
