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Interesting Quotes

Dynamic Chiropractic Staff

Declining Profits for HMOs

"This was the second year of declining profits after six years of steady profit growth. The reason is health care expenses went up, but HMOs were unable to raise premiums accordingly due to increasing competition in the managed care industry. This means that, in order to avoid further profit declines, HMOs are now under pressure to raise rates, cut medical services or both."

-- Martin Weiss, chairman of Weiss Rating Inc. as quoted by AOL News on August 4, 1997.

 


The Real Meaning of the Medical Caduceus?

"Some elements of the medical industry remain constant, however. Pediatricians will continue to use lollipops as tongue-depressors and some old jokes regarding the profession will remain timely. The emblem of the profession will continue to be the caduceus, which PhDs describe as the staff of Aesculapius. MDs, on the other hand, will continue to see it as two lawyers dancing around a Maypole."

What's Up, Doc. Direct: the Magazine of Direct Marketing Management, May 15, 1997.

January 1998
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Diagnosis & Diagnostic Equip
Diagnosing Radiculopathies Through History & Observation
Diagnosing Radiculopathies Through History & Observation

MRI is currently the gold standard for identifying radicular pathology, but unfortunately, it requires preauthorization, which isn’t easy to obtain. Physical tests are what most practitioners depend on – despite the marginal reliability of the tests. The information in this article brings history and observation to the forefront of radicular diagnostics. Each factor listed can significantly increase the clinician’s ability to diagnose radiculopathies.

K. Jeffrey Miller, DC, MBA
Billing / Fees / Insurance
Multiple-Procedure Claim Reductions?
Multiple-Procedure Claim Reductions?

With some plans – and it starts with Medicare (CMS) – there is a payment protocol called the multiple-procedure payment reduction (MPPR). This protocol means that if a health care provider performs multiple procedures during a single patient encounter, Medicare (and many commercial insurers) typically will pay “full price” for only the highest-valued procedure. The subsequent procedures will be reduced, as there is overlap.

Samuel A. Collins
Chronic / Acute Conditions
From Sciatica to Brain Tumor: A Life-Saving Diagnosis
From Sciatica to Brain Tumor: A Life-Saving Diagnosis

A 42-year-old male former patient arrives at your chiropractic office with excruciating low back pain that travels all the way down his right leg to his foot. A spinal surgeon previously recommended surgery to correct an MRI-confirmed disc herniation (sequestration) at L5, but the patient chose conservative chiropractic care. Although conservative treatment is effective for many lumbar disc herniations, the warning signs in this case call for escalation.

Ronald Feise, DC