As some of you know, (and we’ve written about) as of October 1, 2008, Medicare is no longer reimbursing for costs that were incurred as a result of a Never Event. We’ll be putting a more complete article on the topic in our Newsletter, but for now, here are some of the basic points:
Most medical professionals won’t be affected by this individually at all. It is the facility which is losing reimbursement. That the facility would attempt to backcharge the loss to the responsible individual is highly unlikely.
There have been questions raised about how this might affect Medi-Spas and similar privately held facilities. Of course, Medicare is not going to be paying for anything like a Medi-Spa procedure or session. Theoretically, other carriers could follow the example set by Medicare. The carriers Presidio works with do not exclude Never Events. Presidio is in the business of providing health care professionals with malpractice solutions.
Of course, none of this precludes someone being sued for by the patient for a Never Event, but there again, that’s where getting the right insurance comes into play. Presidio clients are going to be well protected by the best carriers possible.
The short version is that invididual Medical Professionals should not be directly affected by this change in policy. Of course, that’s never the entire tale. Look for our upcoming newsletter for a more comprehensive analysis, as well as hints on how you can safeguard yourself and your practice.