Thomas Durick, MD, anesthesiologist at Columbus-based Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, joined Becker's to discuss what he believes needs to change about the anesthesia reimbursement model.
Editor's note: This response was edited lightly for length and clarity.
Dr. Thomas Durick: Anesthesia reimbursements continue to be misunderstood by CMS, insurers and even our own colleagues. We allow the government and insurance companies to dictate what our services are worth (such as the recent bundling of ultrasound services into the most commonly performed regional anesthesia procedures for a reduced total reimbursement). We do the same (or more) work each year for less reimbursement and more challenges to get paid. Until we fight to be seen as more than nameless, faceless plunger pushers with opposable thumbs, we will remain in the shadows.
Anesthesia providers as a whole need to come together as one to make it clear that we need to be paid fairly and that without us medicine grinds to a halt. We should stop the infighting between anesthesia provider factions and unify our voices, resources and intelligence to rally against the reimbursement gods that we have allowed to dictate policy and payment. Make anesthesia billing simpler: You perform a nerve block that benefits the patient intraoperatively and postoperatively? You should get paid for the nerve block independently of the course of the anesthetic. You helped reduce postoperative pain, which might result in fewer opioids administered and a faster recovery, better patient satisfaction, less postoperative nausea and vomiting ... but if I can't get paid for it, what is the likelihood I will be compelled to take that medicolegal risk for no financial benefit? We should never have to ask ourselves that question, yet we do based on declining reimbursement for seemingly everything we do.