Those who can do, and teach, can now get paid.
Score one for the ASA and the lobbyists!! Yay politics!
After many years of wrangling and debate a new bill passed in July which:
- Blocks Medicare payment cuts for 18 months
- Restores full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs .
- Extends the 1.0 floor on the work GPCI through December 31, 2009.
- Increases the PQRI bonus to 2.0% for 2009 and 2010 for physicians who choose to participate in the program.
Of particular note is the repeal of the “teaching tax” which slashed in half payment to teaching anesthesiologists who work with two residents on cases that overlap—even for a minute.
This misguided policy, in place since 1994, costs programs hundreds of thousands of dollars every year—hindering efforts to recruit and retain high-caliber teaching anesthesiologists, and ultimately weakening programs. Yay lobbyists!
Full article here.
