Doctors who treat strokes, aneurysms and the narrowing of the carotid artery today released a study in Colorado Springs showing that the cost of treatment often remains higher than reimbursement from Medicare.
For many hospitals across the nation, particularly those that are already financially strapped, the “results shed additional light on an already sobering reality,” said the study by the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery at its 8th annual meeting in Colorado Springs.
“In today’s economy, many hospitals are feeling the strain of higher costs and stable or lower reimbursements,” said Dr. Harry Cloft, professor of radiology and neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic and author of the study.
“A detailed assessment of both of these factors is necessary to helping us understand the impact on these institutions and explore their potential consequences for patient populations who benefit from these treatments, especially the elderly,” said Cloft.
The organization released data to assess costs versus reimbursements for treatment of unruptured aneurysms as well as therapies for treatment of narrowing of the carotid artery.
For treatment of an unruptured aneurysm – called clipping and coiling – costs have increased from 2001 to 2008 with the hospital cost of treatment higher than the average Medicare payment.
As far as treatment of carotid artery narrowing, results showed that out of the total of 181,200 carotid endarterecotomy procedures (CEA) and 12,485 carotid artery stenting procedures, carotid artery stenting was associated with significantly higher costs than carotid endarterectomy. For treatment with favorable outcomes, Medicare reimbursement was $1,318 and $3,241 less than the CEA and CAS costs respectively, said the study.
The society said that as the hospital financial picture has come under greater scrutiny in the past five years, the data reinforces concerns voiced consistently by many across the health care industry, including the hospital executives who are faced with keeping hospitals financially healthy every day.
The society noted that according to a survey released earlier this year by the American College of Healthcare Executives, financial challenges, namely reimbursement issues,ranked first among hospital CEO’s top concerns in 2010, making it their primary concern in the last six years.
Cloft said that when considering how to maximize health care in the United States the whole picture must be considered.
“Scientific advancement in many fields, including the field of neurointervention, is at a peak, but all the various health care system stakeholders must work together to ensure that hospitals are alleviated of the financial pressures that can stymie these innovative treatments and impede access to enhanced quality care.”Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
