diagnostic imaging

Medical facilities are struggling to ascertain how to allow for the uncertainty surrounding our current healthcare dilemma. The Affordable Healthcare Act (AHCA) was established to increase the amount of people who would be insured to get healthcare benefits, by as much as 30 million people, thereby increasing demand for diagnostic imaging services. However, the first enrollment for these benefits have already been somewhat disappointing with less than six million people applying, of which many have yet to acquire confirmed coverage and an amazing number of this type of person switching from existing coverages they already had, but were canceled and forced to enroll underneath the new program. The web gain of new and previously uninsured cardiac imaging- unknown, but we can safely assume these numbers are very low. Therefore, just how do we determine if diagnostic imaging demand will increase or reduce? And how should we plan to allow for this uncertainty?

We also must think about the decrease in reimbursements for most diagnostic procedures. The AHCA has established procedure guidelines and acceptable reimbursements schedules. These reimbursement schedules are also being adopted by public and private insurance providers as well. There would be no reason for them to provide coverages that exceed those mandated by government. Now we have to ask ourselves that when we reduce the number and kinds of tests we perform and then discover a way to provide them at a cheaper - are we still offering the degree of healthcare that's necessary to steadfastly keep up the very best available healthcare on the planet? And will this bring about a rise or decrease of required resources?

Another dilemma appears to be the continued decrease of available physicians. Reductions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for physician services has also decreased. Combine those decreases with reductions that private and public insurance carriers have implemented and an important number of physicians have chosen early retirement or alternative professions. Does the reduced number of available doctors effect the need to have additional testing available as remaining doctors are overloaded and can not spend sufficient time with patients to ascertain the most truly effective diagnosis?

The solutions are video cath and no body really knows where this can end but we can make the right calculated guesses. Firstly, if those individuals who have lost insurance coverage are able to enroll and get coverage, the internet loss compared to that group is minimal. If some that have been not insured, now are, a small gain might be experienced. Therefore, when evaluating the potential gain or lack of patients, we would assume the numbers don't change all very much (even though they were suppose to). Reimbursements are reducing, but when other costs, such as the cheaper of living, stable taxes and reduced equipment costs through enhanced technology - reduced reimbursements might be survivable. Lastly, the increase of Physician Assistances and Professional Nurse Practitioners may accommodate for the reduced total of available physicians.

The bottom line is, make good business decisions when acquiring systems based on historical numbers which don't seem to be changing much notwithstanding what we have changed and how things are now done.