Spine surgeons are keeping a close eye on the evolving policy issues affecting their job from reimbursements to Medicare pay.
Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. Becker's invites all spine surgeon and specialist responses.
Next question: Many newer spine technologies come with a heavy price tag, especially for ASCs. What will it take to lower costs for the technologies and help them become more widespread?
Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What are the policy issues you're advocating for in your job?
Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: It all comes back to connecting authorization with reimbursement. For some reason, for decades and decades, prior authorization in surgery has never been linked to payment. This is and continues to be a major flaw in the current system, and allows for a gigantic loophole through which payers can shuck and jive their way out of paying for services rendered. It is beyond me why HHS and Congress have not mandated that authorization be a guarantee of payment, especially in terms of clean claims submitted with the same exact CPT codes that were authorized. One must wonder what motivation those in government would have for not advocating for physicians to be paid for the work they do.
Christian Zimmerman, MD. St. Alphonsus Medical Group and SAHS Neuroscience Institute (Boise, Idaho): Current public policy advocating for physicians and in the general public, is difficult at best, and in most cases, awkward in discussion and participation. For instance, the political landscape, candidate choices and policy debate are displeasing to some, since immovable disparate opinions exist and further continuation is almost a social faux pas. That being said, where did civil discourse and idea partition go in the last decade. Privately, my record of support is no mystery nor is it to be shamed by someone of careless objectivity and emotion. The policies of economic recklessness and geopolitical weakening benefit neither citizens of the world nor their loved ones. Are we all not in an importable sense of discomfort and fear about prosperity and safety?
So, the short answer to this adumbration is advocating for patriotism and sustenance of this country. My immigrant-family lineage of three generations proudly represented the ideals and morays of this country, sovereignty and peace through service. Proud of our accomplishments and our fellow citizens: Working tirelessly, caring endlessly for our families and their future.
'And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.'