Quote:
Originally Posted by golfing eagles
Sorry GG, but I have to disagree with you. SOME of those people would be alive (but for how long?), SOME died of COVID-19. We simply don't have good data to go by. There is tremendous financial incentive to hospitals to list COVID-19 as a cause of hospitalization and/or death. Every hospital has coding specialists that do nothing but take ALL the diagnoses on a patient chart and list them in the proper ORDER to maximize reimbursement. As you can imagine, COVID ranks high on the list, perhaps as much as $13,000 additional revenue. It makes financial sense, otherwise they are just leaving money on the table.
Death certificates are different, they are filled out by the physician, although on occasion these coding experts have asked me to change to order in which I wrote it. Needless to say, I invited them to perform a reproductive act upon themselves.  |
I think I understand what you are saying and I really don't care if the hospitals get more money by using their coding and I don't really like people, even doctors, who I respect and admire, saying things like "for how long". I am 80. Assuredly not for a whole lot longer but I find life just as satisfying and exciting and worthwhile and full as I ever did. You will too Doc. No need to feel bad. I do understand the point you are making.
The bottom line is this, but for Covid-19, many, many, many, many people would not have died ...in the last seven months.