Medicare and the Neurosurgeon

Congress and the President decided to give physicians and the American citizens a month reprieve from the 20% Medicare cuts proposed.  This is a battle that has been waged for the last decade with the SGR (sustainable growth rate) equation being the focus of much debate.  Most years, Congress realizes such a cut will end medicine as Americans have known it and finds a way to reverse the cuts, and if we are "lucky" give doctors a 0.5-2% raise (still well below the annual increased cost of doing business).  Increasingly, specialists such as neurosurgeons are finding it impossible to provide Medicare patients with services at the reimbursements provided.  A close colleague, Dr. Ed Kornel, was recently interviewed by CNN and provides a concise, cogent discussion of the issues.  I encourage all to watch this piece-this is an increasing problem in our health care system that impacts ALL of us: physicians, patients, business.  With an increasing percentage of Americans over 65, this is not a problem that will go away.  If you are not over 65, I bet you know someone (parent, aunt, uncle, friend) who is!  Dr. Kornel on CNN
Dr. Kornel can also be heard weekly on his own radio show talking about the spectrum of back problems and the politics of medicine. http://backtalkonair.com/ and can be followed on his blog ezrielkornelmd.blogspot.com