Site of Ambulance Origination and Billing for Out-of-Network Services.

Importance: The No Surprises Act implemented in 2022 aims to protect patients from surprise out-of-network (OON) bills, but it does not include ground ambulance services. Understanding ground ambulance OON and balance billing patterns from previous years could guide legislation aimed to protect patients following ground ambulance use. Objective: To characterize OON billing from ground ambulance services by evaluating whether OON billing risk differs by the site of ambulance origination (home, hospital, nonhospital medical facility, or scene of incident). Design, Setting, and Participants: Cross-sectional study of the Merative MarketScan dataset between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, using claims-based data from employer-based private health insurance plans in the US. Participants included patients who utilized ground ambulances during the study period. Data were analyzed from June to December 2023. Exposure: Medical encounter requiring ground ambulance transportation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Ground ambulance OON billing prevalence was calcuated. Linear probability models adjusted for state-level mixed effects were fit to evaluate OON billing probability across ambulance origins. Secondary outcomes included the allowed payment, patient cost-sharing amounts, and potential balance bills for OON ambulances. Results: Among 2 031 937 ground ambulance services (1 375 977 unique patients) meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1 072 791 (52.8%) rides transported men, and the mean (SD) patient age was 41 (18) years. Of all services, 1 113 676 (54.8%) were billed OON. OON billing probabilities for ambulances originating from home or scene were higher by 12.0 percentage points (PP) (95% CI, 11.8-12.2 PP; P < .001 for home; 95% CI, 11.7-12.2 PP; P < .001 for scene) vs those originating from hospitals. Mean (SD) total financial burden, including cost-sharing and potential balance bills per ambulance service, was $434.70 ($415.99) per service billed OON vs $132.21 ($244.92) per service billed in-network. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of over 2 million ground ambulance services, ambulances originating from home, the scene of an incident, and nonhospital medical facilities were more likely to result in OON bills. Legislation is needed to protect patients from surprise billing following use of ground ambulances, more than half of which resulted in OON billing. Future legislation should at minimum offer protections for these subsets of patients often calling for an ambulance in urgent or emergent situations.

Bone Health Screening Prior to Medicare Eligibility-Osteoporosis Screening and Fracture Prevention After Distal Radius Fractures in Patients Aged 50-59.

PURPOSE: Current guidelines recommend bone mineral density (BMD) testing after fragility fractures in patients aged 50 years or older. This study aimed to assess BMD testing and subsequent fragility fractures after low-energy distal radius fractures (DRFs) among patients aged 50-59 years. METHODS: We used the 2010-2020 MarketScan dataset to identify patients with initial DRFs with ages ranging between 50 and 59 years. We assessed the 1-year BMD testing rate and 3-year non-DRF fragility fracture rate. We created Kaplan-Meier plots to depict fragility fracture-free probabilities over time and used log-rank tests to compare the Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Among 78,389 patients aged 50-59 years with DRFs, 24,589 patients met our inclusion criteria, and most patients were women (N = 17,580, 71.5%). The BMD testing rate within 1 year after the initial DRF was 12.7% (95% CI, 12.3% to 13.2%). In addition, 1-year BMD testing rates for the age groups of 50-54 and 55-59 years were 10.4% (95% CI, 9.9% to 11.0%) and 14.9% (95% CI, 14.2% to 15.6%), respectively. Only 1.8% (95% CI, 1.5% to 2.1%) of men, compared with 17.1% (95% CI, 16.5% to 17.7%) of women, underwent BMD testing within 1 year after the initial fracture. The overall 3-year fragility fracture rate was 6.0% (95% CI, 5.6% to 6.3%). The subsequent fragility fracture rate was lower for those with any BMD testing (4.4%; 95% CI, 3.7% to 5.2%), compared with those without BMD testing (6.2%; 95% CI, 5.9% to 6.6%; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: We report a low BMD testing rate for patients aged between 50 and 59 years after initial isolated DRFs, especially for men and patients aged between 50 and 54 years. Patients who received BMD testing had a lower rate of subsequent fracture within 3 years. We recommend that providers follow published guidelines and initiate an osteoporosis work-up for patients with low-energy DRFs to ensure early diagnosis. This provides an opportunity to initiate treatment that may prevent subsequent fractures. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognosis II.

Trends in Hospital Billing for Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Procedures from 2013 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: With greater acceptance of postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) as a safe and reliable treatment option, the role of plastic surgeons in breast cancer management continues to rise. As Medicare reimbursements for surgical procedures decline, hospitals may increase charges. Excessive markups can negatively affect uninsured and underinsured patients. We aimed to analyze mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures to gain insights into recent trends in utilization and billing. METHODS: We queried the 2013 to 2020 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data with 14 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to collect service count numbers, hospital charges, and reimbursements. We calculated utilization (service counts per million female Medicare enrollees), weighted mean charges and reimbursements, and charge-to-reimbursement ratios (CRRs). We calculated total and annual percentage changes for the included CPT codes. RESULTS: Among the 14 CPT codes, 12 CPT codes (85.7%) with nonzero service counts were included. Utilization of mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures decreased from 1,889 to 1,288 (-31.8%) procedures per million female Medicare beneficiaries from 2013 to 2020. While the utilization of immediate implant placements (CPT 19340) increased by 36.2%, the utilization of delayed implant placements (CPT 19342) decreased by 15.1%. Reimbursements for the included CPT codes changed minimally over time (-2.9%) but charges increased by 28.9%. These changes resulted in CRRs increasing from 3.3 to 4.4 (+33.3%) from 2013 to 2020. Free flap reconstructions (CPT 19364) had the highest CRRs throughout the study period, increasing from 7.0 in 2013 to 10.3 in 2020 (+47.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures billed to Medicare Part B from 2013 to 2020 showed increasingly excessive procedural charges. Rises in hospital charges and CRRs may limit uninsured and underinsured patients from accessing necessary care for breast cancer management. Legislations that monitor hospital markups for PMBR procedures may be considered by policymakers.

Trends in Hospital Billing for Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Procedures from 2013 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: With greater acceptance of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) as a safe and reliable treatment option, the role of plastic surgeons in breast cancer management continues to rise. As Medicare reimbursements for surgical procedures decline, hospitals may increase charges. Excessive markups can negatively affect uninsured and underinsured patients. We aimed to analyze mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures to gain insights into recent trends in utilization and billing. METHODS: We queried the 2013-2020 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data with 14 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to collect service counts, hospital charges, and reimbursements. We calculated utilization (service counts per million female Medicare enrollees), weighted mean charges and reimbursements, and charge-to-reimbursement ratios (CRRs). We calculated total and annual % changes for the included CPT codes. RESULTS: Among the 14 CPT codes, 12 CPT codes (85.7%) with non-zero service counts were included. Utilization of mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures decreased from 1,889 to 1,288 (-31.8%) procedures per million female Medicare beneficiaries from 2013 to 2020. While the utilization of immediate implant placements (CPT 19340) increased by 36.2%, the utilization of delayed implant placements (CPT 19342) decreased by 15.1%. Reimbursements for the included CPT codes changed minimally over time (-2.9%), but charges increased by 28.9%. These changes resulted in CRRs increasing from 3.3 to 4.4 (+33.3%) from 2013 to 2020. Free flap reconstructions (CPT 19364) had the highest CRRs throughout the study period, increasing from 7.0 in 2013 to 10.3 in 2020 (+47.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures billed to Medicare Part B from 2013 to 2020 showed increasingly excessive procedural charges. Rises in hospital charges and CRRs may limit uninsured and underinsured patients from accessing necessary care for breast cancer management. Legislations that monitor hospital markups for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction procedures may be considered by policymakers.

The Life Cycle of Orofacial Cleft Operations.

Patients with cleft lip and palate must undergo various surgical interventions at appropriate times to achieve optimal outcomes. While guidelines for the timing of these operations are well known, it has not yet been described if national surgical practice reflects these recommendations. This study evaluates whether orofacial operations are performed in time frames that align with advised timing. Time-to-event analyses were performed using the 2012-2020 Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database on the ages at time of orofacial operations. Outliers with an absolute Z-score of 3.29 or greater were excluded. Cleft lip (N=9374) and palate (N=13,735) repairs occurred earliest at mean ages of 200.99±251.12 and 655.08±694.43 days, respectively. Both operations clustered along the later end of recommended timing. 69.0% of lip versus 65.1% of palate repairs were completed within the advised age periods. Cleft lip (N=2850) and palate (N=1641) revisions occurred at a mean age of 7.73±5.02 and 7.00±4.63 years, respectively. Velopharyngeal insufficiency operations (N=3026), not including palate revision, were performed at a delayed mean age of 7.58±3.98 years, with only 27.7% of operations occurring within the recommended time frame. Finally, 75.8% of alveolar bone grafting cases (N=5481) were found to happen within the advised time period, with a mean age of 10.23±2.63 years. This study suggests that, with the exception of VPI procedures, orofacial operations reliably cluster near their recommended age periods. Nevertheless, primary lip repair, palatoplasty, and velopharyngeal insufficiency procedures had a mean age that was delayed based on advised timing.

Billing and Utilization Trends in Reconstructive Microsurgery Indicate Worsening Access to Care.

BACKGROUND: Within the last 20-years, Medicare reimbursements for microsurgery have been declining, while physician expenses continue to increase. As a result, hospitals may increase charges to offset revenue losses, which may impose a financial barrier to care. This study aimed to characterize the billing trends in microsurgery and their implications on patient care. METHODS: The 2013 to 2020 Provider Utilization and Payment Data Physician and Other Practitioners Dataset was queried for 16 CPT codes. Service counts, hospital charges, and reimbursements were collected. The utilization, weighted mean reimbursements and charges, and charge-to-reimbursement ratios (CRRs) were calculated. The total and annual percent changes were also determined. RESULTS: In total, 13 CPT codes (81.3%) were included. The overall number of procedures decreased by 15.0%. The average reimbursement of all microsurgical procedures increased from $618 to $722 (16.7%). The mean charge increased from $3,200 to $4,340 (35.6%). As charges had a greater increase than reimbursement rates, the CRR increased by 15.4%. At the categorical level, all groups had increases in CRRs, except for bone graft (-49.4%) and other procedures (-3.5%). The CRR for free flap breast procedures had the largest percent increase (47.1%). Additionally, lymphangiotomy (28.6%) had the second largest increases. CONCLUSION: Our analysis of microsurgical procedures billed to Medicare Part B from 2013 to 2020 showed that hospital charges are increasing at a faster rate than reimbursements. This may be in part due to increasing physician expenses, cost of advanced technology in microsurgical procedures, and inadequate reimbursement rates. Regardless, these increased markups may limit patients who are economically disadvantaged from accessing care. Policy makers should consider legislation aimed at updating Medicare reimbursement rates to reflect the increasing complexity and cost associated with microsurgical procedures, as well as regulating charge markups at the hospital level.

Early Outcomes of Muscle Flap Closures in Posterior Thoracolumbar Fusions: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgery closure with muscle flaps after complex spinal reconstruction has become increasingly common. Existing evidence for this practice consists of small, uncontrolled, single-center cohort studies. We aimed to compare 30-day postoperative wound-related complication rates between flap closure and traditional closure after posterior thoracolumbar fusions (PTLFs) for non-infectious, non-oncologic pathologies using a national database. METHODS: We performed a propensity-matched analysis using the 2012-2020 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program dataset to compare 30-day outcomes between PTLFs with flap closure versus traditional closure. RESULTS: A total of 100,799 PTLFs met our inclusion criteria. The use of flap closure with PTLF remained low but more than doubled from 2012 to 2020 (0.38% vs. 0.97%; P = 0.002). A higher proportion of flap closures had higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classifications and higher number of operated spine levels (all P < 0.001). We included 1907 PTLFs (630 for flap closure; 1257 for traditional closure) in the propensity-matched cohort. Unadjusted 30-day wound complication rates were 1.7% for flap and 2.1% for traditional closure (P = 0.76). After adjusting for operative time, wound complication, readmission, reoperation, mortality, and non-wound complication were not associated flap use (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Plastic surgery closure was performed in patients with a higher comorbidity burden, suggesting consultation in sicker patients. Although higher rates of wound and non-wound complications were expected for the flap cohort, our propensity-matched cohort analysis of flap closure in PTLFs resulted in non-inferior odds of wound complications compared to traditional closure. Further study is needed to assess long-term complications in prophylactic flap closure in complex spine surgeries.

Proportion of Physicians Who Treat Patients With Greater Social and Clinical Risk and Physician Inclusion in Medicare Advantage Networks.

Importance: Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are expanding rapidly, now serving 50% of all Medicare enrollees. Little is known about how inclusion rates of physicians in MA plan networks vary by the social and clinical risks of their patients. Objective: To examine the association of physicians caring for patients with higher levels of social and clinical risk in traditional Medicare (TM) with the likelihood of inclusion in MA plan networks. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study evaluated the number of patients of physicians participating in TM Part B in 2019. The data analysis was conducted between June 2022 and March 2023. Exposures: Quintiles of the proportion of patients who were dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and average beneficiary hierarchical condition category (HCC) score (a measure of a patient's chronic disease burden that is used in risk adjustment and MA plan payment, where higher scores indicate higher risk) in the Part B TM program. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were the proportion of MA plans and enrollees for which physicians were in network. Results: The analysis sample included 259 932 physicians billing Medicare Part B in 2019. After adjusting for physician, patient, and county characteristics, physicians with the highest quintile of patients with dual eligibility were associated with a lower likelihood of being included in MA plans and being in network with MA enrollees than the lowest quintile physicians (MA inclusion rate, -3.0% [95% CI, -3.2% to -2.8%]; P < .001; in-network enrollee proportion, -6.5% [95% CI, -7.0% to -6.0%]; P < .001). Similarly, physicians with the highest quintile HCC score were associated with a lower likelihood of being included in MA plans and being in network with MA enrollees than the lowest quintile physicians (MA inclusion rate, -7.5% [95% CI, -7.9% to -7.2%]; P < .001; in-network enrollee proportion, -18.7% [95% CI, -19.5% to -18.1%]; P < .001). Physicians in medical specialties in the highest clinical risk group (highest quintile HCC score) were associated with a significantly lower likelihood of being in network with MA enrollees than those in the lowest clinical risk group (in-network enrollee proportion, -20.4% [95% CI, -21.1% to -19.8%]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study of physicians participating in TM Part B in 2019 found that physicians with higher numbers of patients with social and medical risks in TM were significantly less likely to be associated with MA plans.

Contemporary Trends in Minimally Invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Utilization in the Medicare Population by Specialty.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction constitutes a leading cause of pain and disability. Although surgical arthrodesis is traditionally performed under open approaches, the past decade has seen a rise in minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques and new federally approved devices for MIS approaches. In addition to neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons, proceduralists from nonsurgical specialties are performing MIS procedures for SI pathology. Here, we analyze trends in SI joint fusions performed by different provider groups, along with trends in the charges billed and reimbursement provided by Medicare. METHODS: We review yearly Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary data from 2015 to 2020 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for all SI joint fusions. Patients were stratified as undergoing MIS or open procedures. Utilization was adjusted per million Medicare beneficiaries and weighted averages for charges and reimbursements were calculated, controlling for inflation. Reimbursement-to-charge (RCR) ratios were calculated, reflecting the proportion of provider billed amounts reimbursed by Medicare. RESULTS: A total of 12 978 SI joint fusion procedures were performed, with the majority (76.5%) being MIS procedures. Most MIS procedures were performed by nonsurgical specialists (52.1%) while most open fusions were performed by spine surgeons (71%). Rapid growth in MIS procedures was noted for all specialty categories, along with an increased number of procedures offered in the outpatient setting and ambulatory surgical centers. The overall RCR increased over time and was ultimately similar between spine surgeons (RCR = 0.26) and nonsurgeon specialists (RCR = 0.27) performing MIS procedures. CONCLUSION: Substantial growth in MIS procedures for SI pathology has occurred in recent years in the Medicare population. This growth can largely be attributed to adoption by nonsurgical specialists, whose reimbursement and RCR increased for MIS procedures. Future studies are warranted to better understand the impact of these trends on patient outcomes and costs.

Operative technique for a combined transcaruncular-transconjunctival approach to double-walled orbital fractures.

Double-walled orbital fractures involving the floor and medial wall are commonly encountered in instances of significant midface trauma. Operative intervention is indicated in the presence of persistent diplopia, significant enophthalmos, or muscle entrapment. Surgical repair of these injuries may be challenging due to large fracture sizes or loss of bony supports. The transconjunctival and transcaruncular approaches have been popularized to reconstruct isolated floor and medial wall fractures, respectively. However, surgical approaches for fractures involving both these walls have not been well described in the literature. In this technical note, we detail a combined transcaruncular-transconjunctival approach that is safe, effective, and aesthetically sensitive.

Decision Aid on Orthopedic Virtual Care: Patient Preferences in Orthopedic Hand Clinic.

Introduction: The objectives of this study are to develop a decision aid for orthopedic patients to decide between virtual or in-person care and assess patient preferences for these modalities in hand clinic. Methods: An orthopedic virtual care decision aid was developed alongside orthopedic surgeons and a virtual care expert. Subject participation involved 5 steps: Orientation, Memory, and Concentration Test (OMCT), knowledge pretest, decision aid, postdecision aid questionnaire, and Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) assessment. Patients presenting to hand clinic were initially provided the OMCT to assess decision-making capacity, with those failing excluded. Subjects were then administered a pretest to assess their understanding of virtual and in-person care. Subsequently, the validated decision aid was provided to patients, after which a postdecision aid questionnaire and DCS assessment were administered. Results: This study enrolled 124 patients. Pre- to postdecision aid knowledge test scores increased by 15.3% (p < 0.0001), and the average patient DCS score was 18.6. After reading the decision aid, 47.6% of patients believed that virtual and in-person care provided similar physician interaction, 46.0% felt little difference in effectiveness between the modalities, and 39.5% had no preference for either. Most patients understood their options (79.8%) and were ready to make a care modality decision (65.4%) following decision aid administration. Conclusion: Significant improvements in knowledge scores, strong DCS scores, and high levels of understanding and decision-making readiness support decision aid validity. Hand patients appear to have no consensus preferences for care modality, emphasizing the need for a decision aid to help determine individual care preferences.

Implications of declining medicare reimbursement of hernia repair for surgeons and patients.

In conclusion, billing trends reflect declining reimbursement and utilization of hernia repair, and increasing markup ratios may create a financial barrier to accessing hernia for uninsured and underinsured patients. As a new set of hernia repair CPT codes are used in practice, close attention should be paid to the downstream effects of billing practices in hernia repair on physician and patient alike.

Medical Malpractice Litigations Involving Infant Craniosynostosis and Deformational Plagiocephaly in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics of malpractice litigations involving skull deformity in infants (craniosynostosis and deformational plagiocephaly). DESIGN: Retrospective review of all lawsuits with jury verdicts or settlements involving infant skull deformity as the primary diagnosis using the Westlaw Legal Database. SETTING: United States. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Plaintiffs with skull deformity as the primary diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Litigation outcome and indemnity payment amount. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2019, 9 cases involving infant skull deformity met our inclusion/exclusion criteria. Among these cases, 8 (88.9%) cases resulted in indemnity payments to plaintiffs, totaling $30,430,000. Failure to diagnose (n = 4, 44.4%) and surgical negligence (n = 3, 33.3%) were the most common reasons for litigations. CONCLUSIONS: There were a small number of malpractice lawsuits involving infant skull deformity over three decades. When cases go to court, physicians and hospitals have a high likelihood of judgment against them, frequently resulting in high indemnity payments.

Factors Associated with Court Outcomes of Medical Malpractice Litigations Involving Breast Reductions: 1990 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Up to 7.4% of physicians in the United States face the risk of undergoing medical malpractice litigation each year. Breast reduction operations are performed often, but specific factors of breast reduction malpractice litigation associated with the outcome and indemnity payments to plaintiffs are unknown. METHODS: Using the Westlaw legal database, the authors analyzed plaintiff and defendant characteristics, alleged reasons for malpractice, case outcomes, and payments to plaintiffs among medical malpractice lawsuits involving breast reductions with final jury verdicts or settlements, using logistic regressions. RESULTS: Ninety-six malpractice litigations with jury verdicts or settlements involving breast reduction operations between 1990 and 2020 met the authors' inclusion/exclusion criteria. The average reported plaintiff age was 39 ± 15 years. A total of 28% ± 29.2%, 48% ± 50.0%, and 20% ± 20.8% cases occurred in the 1990 to 1999, 2000 to 2009, and 2010 to 2020 periods, respectively; 15% ± 15.6% of cases were held in New York. Most cases were in favor of defendants [ n = 65 (67.7%)]. Among 14 cases (14.6%) with nipple malpositioning as a sustained injury, eight of them (57.1%) were ruled in favor of plaintiffs. Nipple malpositioning had increased odds of plaintiff verdict or settlement versus defendant verdict (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.74; P = 0.03). Median payments to plaintiffs were $221,348 (range, $4375 to $3,500,000) for plaintiff verdicts and $650,000 (range, $250,000 to $750,000) for settlements. CONCLUSIONS: Most breast reduction malpractice litigations were ruled in favor of defendants. Nipple positioning should be taken into high consideration by plastic surgeons performing breast reductions to avoid malpractice litigation and indemnity payments.

Medicare Reimbursement in Colorectal Surgery: A Growing Problem.

BACKGROUND: Medicare reimbursement rates have decreased across various specialties but have not yet been studied in colorectal surgery. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze Medicare reimbursement trends in colorectal surgery. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Physician Fee Schedule was evaluated for reimbursement data for the 20 most common colorectal surgery procedures from 2006 to 2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inflation-adjusted annual percentage change, compound annual growth rate, and total percentage change were the outcome measures. A subanalysis was performed comparing the changes in reimbursement between 2006 to 2016 and 2016 to 2020 because of legislative changes that went into effect in 2016. RESULTS: During the study period, the inflation-unadjusted mean Medicare reimbursement rate for the 20 most common colorectal surgery procedures increased by +15.6%. This rise was surpassed by the inflation rate of +31.3%. Consequently, the inflation-adjusted reimbursement rate decreased by -11%. The adjusted reimbursement rates decreased the most at -33.8% for a flexible colonoscopy with biopsy and increased the most at +45.3% for a diagnostic rigid proctosigmoidoscopy. Annual percentage change was -0.79%, and the compound annual growth rate was -0.98%. There was an accelerated decrease in annual reimbursement rates from 2016 to 2020 at -2.23% compared to 2006 to 2016 at -0.22% ( p = 0.03). The only procedure that had an increase in adjusted reimbursement rate from 2016 to 2020 was the injection of sclerosing solution for hemorrhoids. LIMITATIONS: Only Medicare reimbursement data were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Medicare reimbursements for colorectal surgery procedures are decreasing at an accelerating rate. Although this study is limited to Medicare data, it still presents a representation of overall reimbursement changes because Medicare policies have a ripple effect in the commercial insurance market. It is vital to understand the financial trends to be able to structure future patient care teams and to advocate for the sustainability of colorectal surgery practices in the United States. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C136 . REEMBOLSO DE MEDICARE EN CIRUGA COLORRECTAL UN PROBLEMA CRECIENTE: ANTECEDENTES: Las tasas de reembolso de Medicare han disminuido en varias especialidades, pero aún no han sido estudiado en cirugía colorrectal.OBJETIVO: Analizar las tendencias de reembolso de Medicare en cirugía colorrectal.DISEÑO: Estudio observacional.CONTEXTO: Se evaluó el programa de tarifas médicas de los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid para obtener datos de reembolso de los 20 procedimientos más comunes en cirugía colorrectal entre los años 2006 y 2020.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO: Variación porcentual anual ajustada por inflación, tasa de crecimiento anual compuesta y variación porcentual total. Se realizó un subanálisis comparando los cambios en el reembolso entre los años 2006 a 2016 y 2016 a 2020 debido a los cambios legislativos que entraron en vigencia en 2016.RESULTADOS: Durante el período de estudio, la tasa media de reembolso de Medicare sin ajuste por inflación para los 20 procedimientos más comunes en cirugía colorrectal aumentó en +15,6 %. Esta suba fue superada por la tasa de inflación del +31,3%. En consecuencia, la tasa de reembolso ajustada por inflación disminuyó un -11%. Lo máximo que disminuyeron las tasas ajustadas de reembolso fue a -33,8% para una colonoscopia flexible con biopsia y aumentaron más a +45,3% para una proctosigmoidoscopia rígida de diagnóstico. El cambio porcentual anual fue -0,79% y la tasa de crecimiento anual compuesto fue -0,98%. Hubo una disminución acelerada en las tasas de reembolso anual de 2016 a 2020 a -2,23 % en comparación con 2006 a 2016 a -0,22% ( p = 0,03). El único procedimiento que tuvo un aumento en la tasa de reembolso ajustada de 2016 a 2020 fue la inyección de solución esclerosante para las hemorroides.LIMITACIONES: Solo se analizaron los datos de reembolso de Medicare.CONCLUSIONES: Los reembolsos de Medicare por procedimientos en cirugía colorrectal están disminuyendo a un ritmo acelerado. Aunque este estudio se limita a los datos de Medicare, aún presenta una representación de los cambios generales en los reembolsos, ya que las pólizas de Medicare tienen un efecto dominó en el mercado de seguros comerciales. Es fundamental comprender las tendencias financieras para poder estructurar futuros equipos de atención de pacientes y abogar por la sostenibilidad de las prácticas de cirugía colorrectal en los Estados Unidos. Consulte Video Resumen video en https://links.lww.com/DCR/C136 . (Traducción-Dr. Osvaldo Gauto ).

Neurosurgical Utilization, Charges, and Reimbursement After the Affordable Care Act: Trends From 2011 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 50 million Americans receive Medicare health care coverage. Prior studies have established a downward trend in Medicare reimbursement for commonly billed surgical procedures, but it is unclear whether these trends hold true across all neurosurgical procedures. OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in utilization, charges, and reimbursement by Medicare for neurosurgical procedures after passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. METHODS: We review yearly Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary datasets from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for all procedures billed by neurosurgeons to Medicare Part B between 2011 and 2019. Procedural coding was categorized into cranial, spine, vascular, peripheral nerve, and radiosurgery cases. Weighted averages for charges and reimbursements adjusted for inflation were calculated. The ratio of the weighted mean reimbursement to weighted mean charge was calculated as the reimbursement-to-charge ratio, representing the proportion of charges reimbursed by Medicare. RESULTS: Overall enrollment-adjusted utilization decreased by 12.1%. Utilization decreased by 24.0% in the inpatient setting but increased by 639% at ambulatory surgery centers and 80.2% in the outpatient setting. Inflation-adjusted, weighted mean charges decreased by 4.0% while reimbursement decreased by 4.6%. Procedure groups that saw increases in reimbursement included cervical spine surgery, cranial functional and epilepsy procedures, cranial pain procedures, and endovascular procedures. Ambulatory surgery centers saw the greatest increase in charges and reimbursements. CONCLUSION: Although overall reimbursement declined across the study period, substantial differences emerged across procedural categories. We further find a notable shift in utilization and reimbursement for neurosurgical procedures done in non-inpatient care settings.

Billing and Utilization Trends for Hand Surgery Indicate Worsening Barriers to Accessing Care.

BACKGROUND: Hospitals and providers may increase hand surgery charges to compensate for decreasing reimbursement. Higher charges, combined with increasing utilization of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), may threaten the accessibility of affordable hand surgery care for uninsured and underinsured patients. METHODS: We queried the Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary to collect the number of procedures, charges, and reimbursements of hand procedures from 2010 to 2019. We adjusted procedural volume by Medicare enrollment and monetary values to the 2019 US dollar. We calculated weighted means of charges and reimbursement that were then used to calculate reimbursement-to-charge ratios (RCRs). We calculated overall change and r2 from 2010 to 2019 for all procedures and stratified by procedural type, service setting, and state where service was rendered. RESULTS: Weighted mean charges, reimbursement, and RCRs changed by + 21.0% (from $1,227 to $1,485; r2 = 0.93), +10.8% (from $321 to $356; r2 = 0.69), and -8.4% (from 0.26 to 0.24; r2 = 0.76), respectively. The Medicare enrollment-adjusted number of procedures performed in ASCs increased by 63.8% (r2 = 0.95). Trends in utilization and billing varied widely across different procedural types, service settings, and states. CONCLUSIONS: Charges for hand surgery procedures steadily increased, possibly reflecting an attempt to make up for reimbursements perceived to be inadequate. This trend places uninsured and underinsured patients at greater risk for financial catastrophe, as they are often responsible for full or partial charges. In addition, procedures shifted from inpatient to ASC setting. This may further limit access to affordable hand care for uninsured and underinsured patients.

Considerations When Performing Arthrodesis in the Scleroderma Hand.

BACKGROUND: Hand deformities secondary to scleroderma can limit activities of daily living and be associated with substantial disability. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes following arthrodesis performed to treat digital contractures secondary to scleroderma. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all patients with scleroderma who underwent arthrodesis by a single surgeon from 2015 to 2020. We collected demographic information, operative variables, and outcomes variables. Our primary outcome was occurrence of any postoperative complication, which we defined to include wound dehiscence, digital ischemia, malunion, nonunion, cellulitis, and osteomyelitis. We calculated descriptive statistics and performed all analyses at the joint level. RESULTS: We identified 9 patients who underwent arthrodesis of 19 joints. All patients were women with a mean age of 55.3 years. At the time of surgery, most patients were taking disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Kirschner wires (K-wires) were used in most cases (n = 18), 15 of which were removed uneventfully at an average of 4.8 months after surgery. With a mean follow-up time of 15.4 months, the overall complication rate was 5.3% (n = 1). This patient developed digital ischemia in 1 of 4 operative digits, which became gangrenous and required amputation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that arthrodesis can be performed safely in the scleroderma hand, even when patients are taking DMARDs. Given the uneventful K-wire removal in all joints and the high risk of exposure of buried hardware in this population, we recommend nonpermanent placement of K-wires. Hand surgeons may consider arthrodesis in the scleroderma hand before proceeding to revision amputation.

Practical Management of Lumps and Bumps of the Fingers, Hand, and Wrist.

BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians encounter many patients who present with lumps and bumps on their fingers, hands, and wrists. Some benign lesions including ganglion cysts, epidermal inclusion cysts, and giant cell tumors of the tendon sheath that are benign and can be managed by primary care clinicians most of the time in an outpatient setting. METHODS: We conducted a narrative of review of literature on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, prognosis, and management of common types of lumps and bumps found on the fingers, hand, and wrist. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the literature review and our clinical practice, we provide indications for referral to plastic surgeons or other specialists for these lesions.