DO vs. MD board certified radiologist reimbursement

[Dima25]

Hey guys. Is there a difference or are there problems with reimbursement by insurance companies for outpatient radiologic procedures if you're a board certified radiologist thats a D.O. as opposed to a board certified M.D. radiologist?

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[uro]

I'd also like to know the answer to this. I've heard that if you get DO board certified, instead of MD board certified, then some hospitals won't give you "privileges?" Is this true?

 

[f_w]

If you are certified by the american board of radiology (after graduating from an 'allopathic' radiology residency), nobody gives a flying cowpie whether you are MD/DO/MBBS/MbChB or 'diplomat medicien'. The goverment or insurers pay you the same.

If you are certified by the american osteopathic radiology board (after graduating from one of the few osteo rads residencies), you might encounter difficulties getting staff priviledges at MD dominated hospitals. Having a non-ABMS certification might also limit your ability to get on commercial insurer rosters.

Note: I haven't made any comments on the quality of osteopathic radiologists, the questions whether osteopaths are 'real doctors' or any of the other issues that cannot be discussed on SDN. So please spare me the theatrics.

 

[Dima25]

Thanks for the response... but can you clarify a little bit more, I will be board certified by an osteopathic radiology residency not allopathic so what kind of problems will I face once Im board certified by the ostepathic radiologic society

 

[f_w]

I don't have any first or second hand experience in this issue. Try to contact some osteopathic radiologists and ask them about their experience.

 

[Jim Picotte]

The pay is the same. I'm also not aware of any serious bias against DO trained and board certified radiologists. I'm at a predominately MD dominated institution and we have a few DO radiologists who are excellent.

 

[xrayvision]

not only does it not matter whether you are a DO. or MD., you do not have to be board certified (or even a radiologist) to submit a bill and be paid for interpreting an imaging study.

 

[f_w]

not only does it not matter whether you are a DO. or MD., you do not have to be board certified (or even a radiologist) to submit a bill and be paid for interpreting an imaging study.

To submit a bill, you don't have to be BE/BC. In order to get paid by anyone but the goverment or a patient 'out of pocket', you have to be certified. No commercial insurer will take you onto their roster without at least board eligibility.

 

[xrayvision]

we agree, you don't have to be board certified, only board eligible.

 

[f_w]

we agree, you don't have to be board certified, only board eligible.

....in radiology.

If you are only BE, most insurers will boot you from their roster if you haven't passed your boards within 2 years.

 

[xrayvision]

Are you telling me nonradiologists can't recieve payment for interpreting imaging studies? Nothing could be further from the truth. If that were true, there would be no "turf wars". Cardiologists would not be reading nucs, US, angio, Coronary CTA. Orthopods wouild not be reading plain films and sometimes MR. Neurologists would not be doing transcranial doppler and MR.

Life would be grand...

 

[f_w]

Are you telling me nonradiologists can't recieve payment for interpreting imaging studies?

Within their specialty and at the rates negotiated with their payors. A cardiologist submitting claims for MSK MRIs would get those denied (just like a general surgeon won't get paid for cataract surgery).