In the first of a three part series, The Washington Post takes a long, hard look at the Medicare reimbursement system, noting economic incentives which can work to reward hospitals and doctors who provide poor care. The paper concludes that the system, in the words of one critic, is often "the exact opposite of what you would expect." The report focuses on the controversial practice of awarding incentive payments to a facility when a patient returns -- even if the cause is poor treatment in the first place. According to one economic analysis, one out of every three Medicare dollars is wasted.
- see this story from The Washington Post