Elder Law

Medicare Won?t Pay for Medical Errors

By Levin & Perconti

Medicare has put 10 ?reasonably preventable? conditions on its initial list of reasons why it will stop paying hospitals for the added cost of treating patients who are injured in their care. Medicare has stated it will not pay when patients receive incompatible blood transfusions, develop infections after certain surgeries or undergo a second operation to retrieve a sponge left behind from the first. Serious bed sores, injuries from falls and urinary tract infections caused by catheters are also on the list. The policy will prevent hospitals from billing patients directly for costs generated by medical errors. Other insurance agencies, both private and public are set to adopt similar criteria. The plan will now grant bonuses to doctors and hospitals that report quality measures. This plan will have a drastic effect on the elderly who rely on Medicare for their sole insurance and any problems that they may incur at the hands of nursing home negligence. To read the full story, click here.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on October 05, 2008 (boomark / email).