By 2008, Medicare won't pay for hospital errors

As a frequent user of the Fierce website (working for a recoupment contractor for Medicare), I am surprised sometimes by the lack of grammar and spelling in postings by those with advanced degrees in their field. It is "affected", not "effected".

Cathy, thank you for your thoughts. I personally have no doubt that these payment changes will change hospitals' behavior. The thing is, if the hospital doesn't get paid, won't some eventually try to find ways to get the patient to cover the difference? It's possible we'll end up not lowering the expense, but rather shifting at least some of it to those with less resources. I hope I'm wrong about this, though!

-Anne Zieger, Editor

Amen. Medicare, BCBS, and others have already forced many "for profit" hosptials out of business because of cuts made throughout the years. I know the healthcare industry was out of control with charges and billing practices but who are we hurting when we take actions to correct this to the other extreme? We lose hospitals, patients suffer. What if hospitals chose to not accept Medicare or BCBS patients because of their unrealistic assumption that healthcare providers should be perfect and never commit an error? People do fall in hospitals - despite the best intention - hospitals cannot place one-on-one care with patients. Some people fall regardless of the fact they are alert and oriented with no history of falls. Is that the hosptial's fault or the staff's fault?
I agree some events are "never" events. For instance, your example of the needle left in the patient. But come on folks, get real!!
I guess the next step will be for my car insurance not to cover my medical bills if the accident is my fault?? Because, after all, I am a human being who makes human errors.
As a healthcare provider, I am appauled that insurance companies make the assumption that I am lazy or careless when a patient falls. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control.
So, keep cutting reimbursement to the point that more hospitals are forced to cut staffing, quality of food and supplies, and possibly shut their doors. If you are forced to send your mother 1 hour away while she is having her heart attack and she dies in the back of the ambulance enroute because the hospital around the corner shut down, I am really sorry that happened to your mother or anyone else's mother.