tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508948204148265400.post1617767272059872448..comments2021-01-03T19:05:25.403-06:00Comments on Todd's Perspective: Called to WashingtonTodd C. Lindenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781813854946960351noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508948204148265400.post-76352119565350178852008-11-24T14:17:00.000-06:002008-11-24T14:17:00.000-06:00Hi Mark,Thanks for your questions. I've been worki...Hi Mark,<BR/>Thanks for your questions. I've been working for this change in Medicare reimbursement for about 14 years. Tweener hospitals are not asking for a bailout, we're asking Congress to correct the unfair payment system that Medicare created. Right now, the Medicare system is unfairly penalizing tweener hospitals simply because of size and geography. Iowa hospitals that are not critical access are some of the lowest reimbursed hospitals in the nation. At GRMC, more than 60 percent of our patients rely on Medicare. Ironically, Iowa hospitals are consistantly recognized for the highest quality healthcare at the most affordable cost and the greatest access to that quality care, according to Dartmouth Inst. for Health Policy and The Commonwealth Fund. For example, our costs at GRMC are 30 percent below the national cost average. We believe that we have the cost/quality formula right and it is the direction healthcare needs to go. On average, hospitals are paid 91 cents for every dollar spent caring for Medicare patients. Tweener hospitals are paid as low as 67 percent. Bringing our reimbursement rates up to that average would be a positive development. While getting the same rate as a critical access hospital at 101 percent would be great, moving us closer to the national average would be a dramatic improvement. What I know is that we can't afford any longer to be reimbursed at the level we are right now.<BR/>That's why I work so hard for this change. Good luck with your class!Todd C. Lindenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02781813854946960351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508948204148265400.post-6816179054024883652008-11-22T18:05:00.000-06:002008-11-22T18:05:00.000-06:00I am a student with Walden University and have bee...I am a student with Walden University and have been looking at your site as part of my class assignment and was intrigued by your level of acitivity in trying to increase the amount of payment coming from medicare. I was wondering just how much you would like to see payments increase to as the numbers you quoted in your blog seem rather dismal. <BR/><BR/>I can scarcely imagine how hospitals can function especially the ones that receive the majority of their payments from government sources. Also, I was wondering if there are any other requests on top of payment increases that you are hoping to get passed at this time? After all if you're going to ask for one thing you should ask for others so that even if you don't get all that you want you might get more than you expected.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com