Walker Robert, Morrison Zachary, Campbell Mark
Orthopedics. 2020 May 1;43(3):187-190. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20200213-05. Epub 2020 Feb 20.
Understanding trends in reimbursement for orthopedic surgery is important, especially considering the changing landscape of health care delivery and payment models. Although other studies have examined these trends using a sampling of common orthopedic procedures compared with non-orthopedic specialties, robust examination across all orthopedic specialties is not available in the current literature. This study aimed to critically analyze the trends in reimbursement in the field of orthopedic surgery. Inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement and work relative value units (RVUs) between 2000 and 2016 for more than 200 individual Current Procedural Terminology codes across all major orthopedic subspecialties were analyzed, and inherent value of work RVUs was assessed by dividing reimbursement dollar values by work RVUs annually and tracking the changes. Between 2000 and 2016, reimbursement decreased across all orthopedic subspecialties by an average of 29%, except oncology, which showed a 6% increase. Work RVUs increased by an average of 10%, but the inherent value of work RVUs decreased across all orthopedic subspecialties by an average of 39%. Increased active involvement of orthopedic attending physicians and residents in coding documentation and fee-schedule representation is needed. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(3):187-190.].
了解骨科手术报销趋势很重要，尤其是考虑到医疗保健服务和支付模式不断变化的情况。尽管其他研究通过对常见骨科手术与非骨科专科进行抽样来研究这些趋势，但当前文献中尚无对所有骨科专科进行全面深入的研究。本研究旨在批判性地分析骨科手术领域的报销趋势。分析了2000年至2016年期间所有主要骨科亚专科中200多个现行手术术语代码的经通胀调整的医疗保险报销和工作相对价值单位（RVU），并通过每年将报销金额除以工作RVU并跟踪变化来评估工作RVU的内在价值。2000年至2016年期间，除肿瘤学显示增长6%外，所有骨科亚专科的报销平均下降了29%。工作RVU平均增加了10%，但所有骨科亚专科的工作RVU内在价值平均下降了39%。需要骨科主治医师和住院医师更多地积极参与编码文档和费用表制定。[《骨科》。2020；43(3):187 - 190。]
