What To Opt Out of Medicare?
on Nov 21, 2009 in health care reform Here's how, courtesy of Mayo Clinic Family Medicine - Arrowhead (Arizona):The discrepancy between what Medicare pays and our cost of providing care acutely impacts the sustainability of our primary care practice. Medicare reimbursements do not cover...

Early Health Care Reform Photoshop Entries Are Up
on Nov 20, 2009 in health care reform photoshop Early US Health Care Reform Photoshop Contest entries are available to view here. (I did the one at left - sorry, it's ineligible). There's still plenty of time to submit your entry. Entries will be still be accepted until 30 Nov 2009 at 23:59 pm...

As Hospitals Gain Cardiologist Employees, Private Cardiologists Are Shunned
on Nov 18, 2009 in health care reform cardiology An interesting story has developed in Missouri where a private group of cardiologists was asked to no longer see their patients at the local hospital. It seems the hospital hired it's own group of cardiologist-employees. Things grew so contentious...

Medical Bloggers' Grand Rounds Is Up
on Nov 17, 2009 in Grand Rounds ... this week over at Colorado Health Insurance Insider.-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist.

Compensating Doctors for After-Hours Call Coverage
on Nov 17, 2009 in cardiology hospital Should there be a premium added to physician compensation for on-call coverage after hours, or are Medicare rates enough?This appears to be the central question between two competing hospitals in Longview, Texas where a $300,000 stipend was paid to a...

Sebelius: Talking the Talk or Walking the Walk?
on Nov 17, 2009 in health care reform politics Here's a bit of the transcript from Kathleen Sebelius, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, speaking to the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council (approximately 2 min, 45 sec into video) about saving health care costs:... There are lots of...

How Not to Consent a Patient for Angioplasty
on Nov 16, 2009 in cardiology angioplasty Yikes! "Honey, all you need to worry about is if I am going to listen to opera or Steely Dan during the procedure."-WesP.S. I told you "Honey" was bad.Musings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist.

US Health Care Reform Photoshop Contest
on Nov 15, 2009 in health care reform photoshop contest In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season and to make sure something on health care reform gets done before the end of the year, Dr. Wes and his wife, Diane, would like to propose the first (and perhaps only) US Healthcare Reform Photoshop Contest...

US Health Care Reform Photoshop Entries
on Nov 15, 2009 in health care reform photoshop healthcare Last updated 19 NOV 2009 @ 08:00 AM. Early entries for the US Health Care Reform Photoshop Contest are shown below in the order they were received. Remember, the deadline for entries is 11:59 CST 30 Nov 2009. This post will be updated from time to...

Waiting, and Hoping, For a Heart
on Nov 13, 2009 in ethics heart transplant heart failure A patient, recently listed for cardiac transplantation, tells his story about being rejected, then accepted, to the cardiac transplantation list:Next week, I'll check into Mayo, one of the world's premier hospitals, to undergo additional treatment in...