By Mary Rechtoris
Charles Bush- Joseph, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, discusses reimbursement for outpatient orthopedic surgery and where independent practice is headed in the future.
Question: How has reimbursement changed for orthopedic surgery in ASCs over the past five years? Where do you see it headed over the next five years?
Dr. Charles Bush-Joseph: We’ve seen downward pressure from most commercial payers and an exclusively case-rate approach as opposed to itemized billing for surgical facility and equipment fees.
Q: What are the biggest opportunities for orthopedic surgeons to get involved in new practice and payment models to stay independent in the future?
