In Office kypho to be decimated in 2014

[emd123]

In-office kypho is to be cut about 50% by Medicare. A single level kypho will barely cover the cost of the kit (Kyphon).

I was going to start doing kyphos, but I don't think I'm going to bother.

ESIs take another 2% hit (in office Medicare)

Facet MBBs take another 1-2% hit


Slight consultation prize:

cervical and lumbar facets get a 6-7% increase.

None of this includes the current 2% sequester cuts, so really, subtract 2% from all of these to get the real #'s.


Source: ASIPP

http://www.asipp.org/documents/Physicians2014P.pdf

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[bedrock]

In-office kypho is to be cut about 50% by Medicare. A single level kypho will barely cover the cost of the kit (Kyphon).

I was going to start doing kyphos, but I don't think I'm going to bother.


http://www.asipp.org/documents/Physicians2014P.pdf

Exactly. Medicare folks just don't understand what costs them the most money.

PROCEDURES DONE IN HOSPITALS

I'm not going to bother doing in the office. More kyphos will be done in the hospital, often under GETA, and medicare will pay out much more than if they paid a fair amount for in-office procedures.

 

[dc2md]

Let's also knock the equipment companies (Medtronic, Stryker, etc). There is no way their supplies should cost anywhere near what they do. If they didn't charge so damn much, the $4000 for a first level kypho would have more profit margin.

 

[painroddin]

The whole thing just doesn't make since. Why would anyone take that risk for basically free. Even if you are fast for a 2 level (less than 45 min), after kit is paid and ancillary staff paid it would be a wash. This will likely go the way of the discogram I guess.

 

[powermd]

Let's also knock the equipment companies (Medtronic, Stryker, etc). There is no way their supplies should cost anywhere near what they do. If they didn't charge so damn much, the $4000 for a first level kypho would have more profit margin.

Exactly. We will demand that Medtronic cuts their price in half for an appropriate kit, otherwise no more kyphos for us.

 

[joshmir]

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