A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 7 3
I
n the old fee-for-service system, surgeons were paid to per-
form poorly. Even incentivized to do so. Think about it. If sur-
geons had to readmit a patient to the hospital because of, let's
say, a site infection, severe pain or a failed surgery, they'd sub-
mit a bill to the payer and get reimbursed. No questions asked.
A complication could lead to multiple reimbursable surgeries. But the
days of How much can we be reimbursed? are long gone, replaced by
value-based programs like bundled payments that ask How much can
we save?
Robert P. Raspa, PA-C | Charlotte, N.C.
Keeper of The Bundle
Tips for succeeding with orthopedic bundled payment models.
