The medical blogosphere is buzzing over the announcement that Medicare will stop paying the extra costs for treating preventable errors, infections and injuries occurring in hospitals – including bedsores. The new rules, scheduled to be published next week, outline the new policy. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services say this is part of a new initiative to improve the quality of care with the $400 billion it spends per year on healthcare. What does this mean for the average Physician? Potentially lower reimbursements, as hospitals are likely to absorb the costs. Among physician blogs that have covered this issue are Kidney Notes, KevinMD, and Clinical Cases.

Tobin Arthur and I continue to tour the country meeting with iCN members and Physician investors. This past week we made a stop in Washington D.C. The trip was empowering. Surrounded by the mammoth historic buildings that house the federal government, it was the perfect time to capture questions on video from our iCN advisors and investors for the upcoming YouTube/CNN Presidential debates. And, on our way to meet with some folks from the House of Representatives, we ran into none other than Mathew Lesko...The Question Mark Man! (see attached slideshow for proof)

Thank you for a great introduction to Washington DC and I look forward to returning soon.

In April, the Massachusetts legislature approved a very controversial bill requiring all 6.5 million residents of the state to have health insurance or face penalties. Last week the law was enacted, stipulating that residents with annual incomes below the federal poverty level are eligible for no-cost care. Residents with annual incomes up to three times the poverty level can enroll in state subsidized plans, while those with incomes more than three times the poverty level can choose their own coverage from new, lower-cost private plans if they are not offered coverage through their employer. Needless to say, other states are watching closely.

The movement in Massachusetts, Michael Moore's "Sicko", and other highly publicized healthcare stories are setting the stage for a very active debate on US healthcare during the upcoming Presidential election. Heavily affected by the outcomes of this debate, Physicians have a vested interest to remain well-informed and organized with respect to the public dialog.

After working with physicians for years, I am keenly aware of the myriad of challenges you already face...many of which are interconnected. Few professionals deal with the level of complexity involved in delivering both optimal and cost effective medical care in addition to managing a career, practice and caring for family.