Mississippi Valley Health Magazine
Fall 2009
There is no doubt healthcare costs take a toll. I see patients daily who are not only dealing with the stress of illness, pain or injury, but who are burdened with worry about how to pay for those services. This is especially true for seniors on a fixed income. Healthcare costs should not add to the stress of your treatment and recovery. There is a better way. Here at the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center, we deliver value to all clients and especially to those with Medicare insurance. The amount that we collect for performing the exact same surgical case done in the hospital outpatient department is approximately 59% of the rate paid to the hospital. That means our patients often pay less out-of-pocket for the very same procedure – a bargain since our patient satisfaction and quality of service is equal or exceeds that of our hospital competitors.
The amount of money that ambulatory surgery centers are reimbursed for a procedure is set by the Center for Medicare Services (CMS). The Medicare customer is responsible for paying a 20% coinsurance of that CMS set amount to the ambulatory surgery center either out of his own pocket or through the secondary insurance that he may have. Because the amount of the ambulatory surgery center reimbursement is lower than the hospital outpatient department for the exact same surgery, the 20% coinsurance is lower as well. Medicare patients benefit greatly by asking their surgeons to perform surgery at Mississippi Valley Surgery Center.
In our cover story, we address this issue and advocate that all patients ask their doctors questions regarding surgical costs, recovery, and insurance reimbursement. Mississippi Valley Health Network providers who practice at the surgery center believe What Healthcare Should BeTM means offering value, performing procedures that speed recovery, all in a spirit of partnership with our patients and their families. The other part of the value formula is the quality of the care. Our quality programs are also set into law by CMS and are equivalent to those found in hospital settings. We are easier to get into and out of, have high touch care, and deliver surgical services innovatively. In this issue, you’ll also learn about several general surgeons who are employing minimally invasive procedures that result in very little scarring, and a vascular surgeon employing new varicose vein treatments that speed recovery and reduce pain. It is gratifying to see our partner physicians so committed to healthcare that is both high-touch and high-value. Who wouldn’t want to have this experience for themselves or family members?
—Dr. John Dooley, Publisher
