Upcoding raises medical costs

[Guest guest]

Upcoding raises medical costs

http://www.nwherald.com/StyleSection/gott/352049196456562.php

[published on Wed, Jan 18, 2006]

Dear Dr. Gott: Please tell me your opinion of two incidents that

occurred to me recently.

On a trip to the ophthalmologist for red, sore, scratchy, swollen

eyes, she ran a finger over them and advised me to use hot

compresses. She did take a quick look at them. Imagine my surprise

when the bill came. It was over $600, under the code for surgery! I

visited the billing clerk, thinking it was a mistake. Perfectly

legal, she says. Any procedure that squeezes the lids together may

be billed to the code of surgery.

Overseas, not long ago, I broke a very small bone in my foot. At the

hospital there, X-rays were taken and I was advised that nothing

need be done except strapping it up.

When I came home, I visited a specialist here to make sure all was

OK. My foot was very painful, red and swollen. He issued me a canvas

shoe, took a look at the X-rays from abroad and billed me (Medicare

and insurance) for surgery! He never once even looked at my foot.

This is surgery?

Dear Reader: The doctors with whom you had contact were playing the

coding game. I agree with you that this is a rip-off and, if it is

the habit of many doctors, is one reason that Medicare is in serious

trouble. Also, this form of dishonesty raises our private health-

insurance premiums.

Your experience is a common one and reflects badly on the

professionals who are in business to help patients, not to upcode to

such a degree.

Dear Dr. Gott: I have read your column for many years and have found

it interesting, informative and, at times, amusing. One malady I

have not seen is big, gross, thick toenails, especially of the great

toe.

My father died at the age of 98 and my sister died at the age of 74.

Both had thick, big toenails, especially of the great toe.

I am 80 years old. I do not have thick or big toenails. Is there

something a person can do to avoid big, thick toenails?

Dear Reader: In the vast majority of cases – especially in elderly

patients – the thickening and yellowing is a direct result of a

fungus that sets up shop under the toenails (and/or fingernails) and

grows to the point that the nail is lifted up gradually by the

yellow gunk the fungus produces.

You apparently are not suffering from the same problem your father

and sister had. Had they known of my cheap cure (Vicks VapoRub

applied twice a day), perhaps their toenails might have been

less " gross

[Guest guest]

The same thing happened to me! I thought it was a typo.. but it wasn't.

Also, I have noticed that doctors now want you to come in just to

refill prescriptions.. like every six months..

They never used to do that if nothing had changed..