Why does pay keep going down?

[not sure]

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I don't understand completely why the average pay for Ophthalmologists keeps dropping so much. Is this happening in other fields too? (sorry, I am so naive). Also when organizations (such as the Academy) post average pay stats, is this based on full time work only? Will the pay keep going down?
Thanks.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

I don't understand completely why the average pay for Ophthalmologists keeps dropping so much. Is this happening in other fields too? (sorry, I am so naive). Also when organizations (such as the Academy) post average pay stats, is this based on full time work only? Will the pay keep going down?
Thanks.

Insurance reimbursements (medicare included) continue to decrease for both clincal exams and surgery. There are more factors as well (malpractice insurance, and other problems common to all branches of medicine), but the decreasing reimbursement is the major reason.

Here's a rough view on why optho. seems to go down more than other fields. If you look back 20 years, you'll see a HUGE number of new technology that has been introduced into optho. Before phaco, cataract surgery used to be a major surgery that took some time and a decent sized surgical team. Obviously, that procedure was reimbursed at a comparable amount. Once phaco came, cataract surgery was reduced to a 15 minute surgery requiring a team of 4-5 to do it. Once the government caught on to how quick and easy (relatively speaking) this new method was, the reimbursements got cut significantly. This same trend is seen everytime a new laser comes out. For 1-2 years, the new laser procedure is reimbursed exceptionally well. Then the government catches on and cuts reimbursements.

 

[Visioncam]

Reimbursement keeps going down because society, business, and government is now a dog-eat-dog world. The general feeling is that "we can sock it to those doc, especially eye docs, and they can't do a thing! ha ha" They are right. Even if cataract surgery pays $300, a number of ophthalmologist will continue to do it.

I once heard a talk that someone (non-MD) thought some family practitioners would see a patient for $1 because that's the cost of exam room table paper and a latex glove.

 

[medstud721]

http://www.ophmanagement.com/article.aspx?article=&loc=archive\2003\december\1203024.htm

AS FOR ME--WORK AROUND 36 HR/WEEK IN PP. INCOME 400K +/-

LOVING IT...

 

[not sure]

Thanks for the responses. I liked the article, thanks medstud721.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Read this: http://www.medrounds.org/blog/2005/06/crisis-in-academic-publishing-and.html

Physicians are destined to receive a 5.5% pay CUT every year for the next five years.