What will health care reform mean for orthopaedics?

What will healthcare reform mean for orthopaedics? How worried should we be about this new bill?

primary care is going to make more money. orthopaedic surgeons will make less. the good news is that if you didn't match in ortho for the last couple years, ortho should be easier to get into in coming years.

I've heard many people say that orthopaedic surgeons will make less with the reform bill, but that seems like an oversimplification.

There is a slightly higher tax rate and a new capital gains tax that will apply to all people earning $250,000 or more a year. However, the bill also provides for increased Medicare geographic payment adjustments that will benefit physicians in 42 states. I think the expected increase in doctor's visits and utilization of health care resources will also lead to busier practices and more patients being able to afford surgery. This bill is projected to give health insurance to 1 in 10 Americans.

If you are an established surgeon with a full practice, you will be a net loser due to the increased Medicare tax and new capital gains taxes. If you are still building a practice, the increased number of patients coming to your office would likely make up the difference.

Notably, this bill also contains the first legislative victory for tort reform at the Federal level. It is a baby step at best, but it is also an acknowledgement that malpractice liability is part of the health care expenditure problem.

primary care is going to make more money. orthopaedic surgeons will make less. the good news is that if you didn't match in ortho for the last couple years, ortho should be easier to get into in coming years.

Blanket statements without any corroborating data. Which portion of the healthcare bill calls for decreased payments to orthopaedic surgeons? Sure, decreased reimbursements are a worry for procedural based specialists, but why don't you try elevating the level of discourse instead of rehashing some Fox News blather? Better yet, get involved with the AOA or AMA or whichever group best represents your ideals. You could argue that orthopaedic surgeons stand to make more as studies have repeatedly shown the positive social, financial and health benefits to orthopaedic intervention. Perhaps there will be an increase in Mid-Level providers to cover the gap between the number of US students that want to practice primary care and needed positions (ultimately being cost neutral or beneficial). The truth is that there is ebb and flow in reimbursement levels over time as well as medical student interest in various subspecialty training programs. Your pessimism offers nothing to the discussion.

How about you guys just go and read the AAOS talking points. I think the AAOS has done a really good job in distilling this massive legislation down into something that we can actually digest. Personally, I think that the AMA doesn't have any of our best interests in mind and this has led me to cancel my membership with them.

The link:

www3.aaos.org/govern/federal/adv ... _21_10.cfm

The AMA has lost a good numbers of members over the last ten years. They are mostly supported by primary care. The AAOS is our voice.