Guys,
I agree with you in principle, but Vinny our MSSNY has already bought into the CCHIT, $hit. They are in bed with the state and federal gov'ts, the major software vendors and the carriers already!!! They are the grant handers out of the CCHIT only assistance for us poor struggling small practices for get corporate wellfare for those Major players, to line their pockets as they assist small practices getting "hooked" into the CCHIT, $hit. I as Nancy's practice manager was one of the most active members they had here in our county and they don't give a darn about us. They blew us off and didn't care to incorporate our concerns or our perspective on these vital issues... Oh those PCP's again. And that is with Nancy as one of only about a dozen or so other docs in the entire county, volunteering at the MSSNY booth doing BP checks for 3 summers in a row, representing the society in the sticky hot Aug. weather here at the state fair. The heck with them.
Think about it. Your malpractice rates are probably not too far off from ours being in a similar part of the same state. Why is the medical society using a large part of our resources fighting malpractice rates, not for us primary offices, our rates although not great really are not so bad. $1.3-3.9 coverage in case of a suit with tail coverage at under $8K a year really is pretty good deal in terms of what you get at todays prices. They are fighting it for all the morgage sized premiums that their better off and better paid specialist members who have more clout have to pay. Now I do think that malpractice is an issue, but it certainly is not my main issue.
If we only got paid, with RVU's that show respect for all that care managed you so properly mentioned, not .40 but like .70 or .80 RVU's, so that a 99213 or 99214 would actually sort of pay for all the work you guys do each and every day, that is my issue, but that means finally devaluing the over inflated RVU's of their better heeled members that they do really represent. Really why are the RVU's on a simply skin biopsy or non malignant cryo removal more than those for all that multiple issue management of care for BP, cholesterol, DM and the like??? It is so @$$ backwards. We talk about care as something we value but when it comes time to actually put the rubber to the road, we pay the Marines who get in and get out a whole lot better then the PCP grunts who slug it out in the trenches every day.
I think that PCP's of all three major groups need a real Medical Society type organization that puts them and their patients needs first. Those specialists that you properly railed against do not share our concerns nor do they give a hoot about our day to day survival. If you don't believe me, pretend to be a staff member on a day your office is closed for paperwork one morning. See how even the stafff and practice managers at other offices treat you and your staff as they call looking for the all important referals that we have to do for Free so they can make more money on our patients than we do. Nancy answers the phones here no and again and she doesn't always let on right away the she is the "Doctor". These people treat he like regular crap until they ask something about or to speak with the doctor. They she says, "oh I am Dr Blake..." They start falling all over themselves as they try to pull back from the arrogant better then you attitudes. BullCCHIT!
Anyway, you know we love the heck out of you, Roy and the rest of the gang, but these folks no longer represent us, if they even every really did. They are a bunch selfish fools that are trying to maitain the status quo for the better paid specialties. They certainly don't speak for me whether as a doctor's office or a patient.
I think you know that after asking for their help from the legal dept at MSSNY central, Lake Success who blew me off on women's wellcare and the inappropriate bundling of CPE's and GYN Paps performed on the same day I didn't give up and kept going on my own anyway. Well I, as in me, myself and I, by my self with a little help from our IPO, won that fight with one of the largest S-CHIPS carriers here in our state, Fidelis. Now you can bill and get paid for a 99395,6,7 and G & Q on the same DOS for the same patient with this carrier because I refused to give in and made a valid argument that stuck. How many women patients, PCP's and GYN's did I just help??? How many dollars of lost revenue did I win back for all our members across the state who treat these women??? Meanwhile, we can not even afford tickets to the annual black tie dinner here. Hell Nancy and I should be one of the guests of honor getting an award for goodness sake. How about a life time membership for fighting it and winning it alone for everyone? Not even a simple thank you from anyone, not one single member. No less any real recognition of what this little solo PCP's office accomplished on it's own.
Heck MSSNY paid lots of money for this really good lawyer speaker to come here and talk about not letting the carriers have any records requests that they are not entitled to with suggestions and laws on how to fight them. And then almost in the same breath they are in bed with CCHIT and the SOB's that support it, so the carriers can back door spy on all docs and patients any time they want??? What kind of split personality kind of leadership and advice is this???
I for one an very pissed off and have lost just about all respect for our state medical society. They owe this office a big thank you and an appology. Give my wife a free membership after what we did on our own, then we'll talk about getting back involved.
