FOS

Poll finds strong public support for medical tort reform.

A national poll conducted by the nonpartisan reform coalition Clarus Research Group and the non-profit Committee for Economic Development finds that 83 percent of U.S. voters want Congress to address reform of the medical liability system as part of healthcare reform efforts, and 72 percent believe the fear of being sued often changes the way physicians deal with patients. Americans are also aware of the impact of medical liability on the practice of defensive medicine and medical costs. When asked "Do you think the fear of being sued is causing doctors to order unnecessary medical tests and procedures just to protect themselves from possible lawsuits?" 74 percent of respondents answered yes, and more than half of those who responded in the affirmative identified such defensive medical practices as a "major cause" of increased healthcare costs. The poll was conducted via live telephone interviews August 14-18, 2009, with a sample of 1,003 registered voters and a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

Draft bill would remove health insurers’ antitrust exemption.

CQ Politics reports that draft legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate would repeal health and medical liability insurers’ exemption from federal antitrust laws, subjecting those companies to antitrust regulation by the U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), states that the measure would help make the health insurance industry more competitive and potentially drive down costs. Insurers gained statutory exemption from federal antitrust laws in the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act, and have opposed bills repealing the exemption, arguing that they are still prohibited from price fixing and collusion on claims settlements and that the limited exemption helps lower costs by allowing insurers to share data about losses and set more accurate prices. If the bill advances, the Senate Judiciary Committee would be added to the list of committees reviewing healthcare reform legislation.
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Small percentage of Medicaid and CHIP enrollees account for majority of spending.

A study published online in the journal Health Affairs finds a strong contrast in demographic differences between heavy users and non-users of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The authors found that 10 percent of enrollees in such systems account for 72 percent of the spending, and that 30 percent of enrolled children receive little or no care. Additionally, non-users receive little preventive care such as well-child visits and dental checkups, putting them at increased risk of having health problems that go undiagnosed and untreated. The authors state that the results highlight the importance of cost containment strategies designed to reduce avoidable hospitalizations.
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Reminder ~ Call for Abstracts and Residents and Fellows Research Competition Submissions for 2010 FOS Scientific Annual Meeting!

Deadline to submit material is December 1, 2009!
 
The Florida Orthopaedic Society is now accepting abstract submissions and Resident and Fellow Research Competition submissions for the 2010 FOS Scientific Annual Meeting.  The 2010 Annual Meeting is taking place May 20-23, 2010 at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

All abstracts and Resident and Fellow Competition papers must be submitted by December 1, 2009 to be considered by the Program Committee.  Instructions for regular abstract submissions and the 2010 Resident and Fellows Research Competition are included in the links below.   In addition to the abstract information, all submissions should be accompanied by a completed AAOS Financial Disclosure Form and an AAOS FDA Disclosure Form, also linked below.  
 
Please let our office know if you have questions or concerns.

Download 2010 Abstract Submission Instructions

Download 2010 Abstract Application

Download 2010 AAOS FDA disclosure

Download 2010 faculty disclosure

Senate Finance Committee Released Health Care Reform Proposal

The Senate Finance Committee today released its long-awaited healthcare reform bill. 

 

Please click on the link above to view their legislative proposal.

The "missing link" in healthcare reform?

An article in the Sept. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine posits that systemwide cost controls may be the "missing link" in healthcare reform. The authors note that current cost-control proposals are focused on specific aspects of the system, and may not guarantee a reduction in total costs. Taking a systemwide approach, through all-payer regulations that would simplify billing, eliminate cost-shifting, and establish enforceable spending targets, would, the authors argue, "offer the best hope for healthcare reform."

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Defensive medicine, patient desires are "tangible and unseen" healthcare costs.

An article in the Wall Street Journal examines the impact of defensive medicine and patient desires on healthcare costs. Although total spending on medical liability, including legal-defense costs and claims payments, is only about 1 percent of total U.S. healthcare spending, indirect costs incurred as medical professionals perform extra tests or take steps that are medically unnecessary but provide legal protection play a far larger role in healthcare spending. In addition, patients may prefer having additional tests to ensure that a diagnosis is not missed.