[daberechimoses59_164]

Pretty much par for the course for any business facing a permanent 11% decrease in revenue, I would think that. And yes, my group has discussed possibly trimming what little fat there is left if theres cuts do, in fact, happen

[jtpollock]

It’ll be worse then 11%, the cuts will disproportionately hit the high volume stuff….

[btomba_77]

It’s mostly bullsh*t and bluster and fear-mongering for lobbyists to use in Washington.
 
Remember back in 2009 those polls that “2/3 of physicians said they could consider closing their practice or retiring if the ACA is passed” ….
 
same thing now.

[erasmopa]

Nobody will need to fire anybody. Any rad who was contemplating retirement in the next 2-3 years will conclude its not worth continuing and will retire a little early.

[btomba_77]

hey … i’m 53 and ready to retire.
 
I’d trade 11% medicare cuts in exchange for age 55 eligibility  😉
 
 

[ljohnson_509]

If passed, this will likely lead to a multi year poor job market, and worse working conditions as groups are forced to work harder.

Were already stretched thin, not sure how groups can do more without providing worse service or having radiologists quit from even worse working conditions.

[jtpollock]

And not to be overlooked, but CMS will be implementing Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) in 2021. This will result in less volume as CMS starts to make providers think twice about ordering an exam.

[Unknown Member]

I had a dream where I was in a large room of radiologists who were about to play a game of musical chairs but only a few of them knew it. Those few carried no belongings and were fit, ready to move. The rest were weighed down with all sorts of crap and oblivious.

[nicolasvg.1003]

This may finally be the end of the golden age of Rad income.  For a long time, the government bean counters have had Rads in their cross-hairs, believing Rads are “overpaid”, even though the government bureaucrats and hospital admins are the overpaid leeches on the system.  I paid off any and all debt I had early in my career for this reason – to be able to withstand the inevitable assault on our incomes.  

[anabarcelo_18]

geez. more fodder to consider jumping from radiology. i can’t imagine investing 6 years of residency + fellowship to not be able to land a job or have to do a second fellowship. that would be a huge blow on so many levels.
 
i just can’t envision a future where radiology comes out a viable specialty with assaults on all fronts – AI, corps, declining reimbursement. 

[mariacardei7_785]

Quote from coldfeetmike

geez. more fodder to consider jumping from radiology. i can’t imagine investing 6 years of residency + fellowship to not be able to land a job or have to do a second fellowship. that would be a huge blow on so many levels.

i just can’t envision a future where radiology comes out a viable specialty with assaults on all fronts – AI, corps, declining reimbursement. 

 So why haven’t you jumped?
Maybe just bluster

[Unknown Member]

This will result in a bad job market for 5-10 years. 

Radiology groups will adjust by reading a little more. Probably 5% each radiologist. Those who say that rads are already working at maximum capacity don’t have a good memory or don’t know how private practice radiology works.

 And I won’t get surprised if in the short term radiology groups will be able to keep their salaries similar to working more. 

I feel for the new graduates. It is going to be bad job market with bad starting salaries.

Making less because the pay/study has become less is not an option for most radiology groups. 

[Dr_Cocciolillo]

11 percent is a really big cut
Cant make it up with volume.

[erasmopa]

Since other payors follow suit when Medicare rates go down this is what I propose. The ACR sacks up and recommends that its members distinguish Medicare cases from other cases. State that with an 11% pay cut, in order to stay afloat adjustments must be made. For instance a knee mri for Medicare patients will have 3 sequences instead of 5. All Medicare MRIs will have fewer sequences since the magnet time must be cut to keep costs in line. Medicare patients cannot receive contrast at outpatient imaging centers because the cost of contrast reaction coverage is too high.

This is how the government works. This is how other businesses work. While some may argue the ethics, I say it is time to play hardball. The added benefit is other payors would not drop reimbursements because their members would not tolerate it.

[reuven]

Quote from fumoney

Since other payors follow suit when Medicare rates go down this is what I propose. The ACR sacks up and recommends that its members distinguish Medicare cases from other cases. State that with an 11% pay cut, in order to stay afloat adjustments must be made. For instance a knee mri for Medicare patients will have 3 sequences instead of 5. All Medicare MRIs will have fewer sequences since the magnet time must be cut to keep costs in line. Medicare patients cannot receive contrast at outpatient imaging centers because the cost of contrast reaction coverage is too high.

This is how the government works. This is how other businesses work. While some may argue the ethics, I say it is time to play hardball. The added benefit is other payors would not drop reimbursements because their members would not tolerate it.

I would change this statement “This is how other businesses work” to this is how business works in general.  It’s not ethically unjust to maintain profitability.  

[daberechimoses59_164]

Exactly

[daberechimoses59_164]

Exactly

[jennycullmann]

Quote from fumoney

Since other payors follow suit when Medicare rates go down this is what I propose. The ACR sacks up and recommends that its members distinguish Medicare cases from other cases. State that with an 11% pay cut, in order to stay afloat adjustments must be made. For instance a knee mri for Medicare patients will have 3 sequences instead of 5. All Medicare MRIs will have fewer sequences since the magnet time must be cut to keep costs in line. Medicare patients cannot receive contrast at outpatient imaging centers because the cost of contrast reaction coverage is too high.

This is how the government works. This is how other businesses work. While some may argue the ethics, I say it is time to play hardball. The added benefit is other payors would not drop reimbursements because their members would not tolerate it.

 
This. Time to make people think twice about no skin in the game and changing the rules in the middle of the game and thinking others won’t react accordingly.

[Melenas]

It would only work if everyone agreed to do this. There will always be someone who wants to champion the cause say, it is bad for patient care or stop being greedy. 
 

Quote from Casino Royale

Quote from fumoney

Since other payors follow suit when Medicare rates go down this is what I propose. The ACR sacks up and recommends that its members distinguish Medicare cases from other cases. State that with an 11% pay cut, in order to stay afloat adjustments must be made. For instance a knee mri for Medicare patients will have 3 sequences instead of 5. All Medicare MRIs will have fewer sequences since the magnet time must be cut to keep costs in line. Medicare patients cannot receive contrast at outpatient imaging centers because the cost of contrast reaction coverage is too high.

This is how the government works. This is how other businesses work. While some may argue the ethics, I say it is time to play hardball. The added benefit is other payors would not drop reimbursements because their members would not tolerate it.

This. Time to make people think twice about no skin in the game and changing the rules in the middle of the game and thinking others won’t react accordingly.

[reuven]

Quote from peehdee

It would only work if everyone agreed to do this. There will always be someone who wants to champion the cause say, it is bad for patient care or stop being greedy. 

Quote from Casino Royale

Quote from fumoney

Since other payors follow suit when Medicare rates go down this is what I propose. The ACR sacks up and recommends that its members distinguish Medicare cases from other cases. State that with an 11% pay cut, in order to stay afloat adjustments must be made. For instance a knee mri for Medicare patients will have 3 sequences instead of 5. All Medicare MRIs will have fewer sequences since the magnet time must be cut to keep costs in line. Medicare patients cannot receive contrast at outpatient imaging centers because the cost of contrast reaction coverage is too high.

This is how the government works. This is how other businesses work. While some may argue the ethics, I say it is time to play hardball. The added benefit is other payors would not drop reimbursements because their members would not tolerate it.

This. Time to make people think twice about no skin in the game and changing the rules in the middle of the game and thinking others won’t react accordingly.

 
Pushing physicians harder every year to maintain the same standard of living increases their burnout rate which is also bad for patient care.  In what other profession would maintaining your standard of living be considered greedy (rhetorical question) ? 

[satyanar]

Quote from docholliday126

And not to be overlooked, but CMS will be implementing Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) in 2021. This will result in less volume as CMS starts to make providers think twice about ordering an exam.

 
Pretty sure they backed off that again. Even still, its the imaging group that doesnt get paid without using it so not much incentive for the ordering doc to comply. 

[jtpollock]

I stand corrected, you are correct. Phew!