Medicare stops paying for errors – MN featured in NY Times article
MINNEAPOLIS, October 1, 2008 - Medicare implemented its new policy Wednesday to not pay hospitals for 10 reasonably preventable conditions.
- falls and traumas,
- vascular catheter-associated infection,
- poor blood sugar control,
- catheter-associated urinary tract infections,
- deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism following total hip or knee replacement,
- foreign object retained after surgery,
- surgery site infection following coronary artery bypass,
- certain orthopedic and bariatric procedures,
- air embolism, blood incompatibility,
- and stage 3 and 4 pressure ulcers.
The policy change should have little effect on Minnesota hospitals, which had already voluntarily agreed not to bill for medical errors.
Minnesota is a leader in the area of error accountability and transparency. As part of a discussion of the issue, the New York Times highlighted Minnesota's error reporting law, HealthPartners’ decision three years ago not to pay for errors, and efforts at Regions Hospital to reduce errors in the article “Medicare Won’t Pay for Medical Errors.” As part of the story, the Times spoke with surgeon and MMA member Peter A. Cole, M.D. and described some of the safety procedures Cole employs before operating.