what is the medicare rebate for cataract surgery in USA?

[ALTorGT]

Hi all
Wondering if someone could tell me the rebate optho's get for doing a cataract surgery? In Aus,the public hospital rebate is $950. Those crooks! Spine surgeons who do anterior cervical fusions get paid less than that.

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[Andrew_Doan]

Hi all
Wondering if someone could tell me the rebate optho's get for doing a cataract surgery? In Aus,the public hospital rebate is $950. Those crooks! Spine surgeons who do anterior cervical fusions get paid less than that.

It's around $650.

 

[Visioncam]

Without looking at the newspaper or using a calculator, A$950 is able the same as US$650.

In Australia, they use plastic money. It's a thin sheet that looks like paper money except it's smooth.

 

[odieoh]

It's around $650.

Is $650 the amount the surgeon actually takes home or does that have to cover all the overhead as well?

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Is $650 the amount the surgeon actually takes home or does that have to cover all the overhead as well?

This is only the physician's fee. Surgical room costs and other costs are billed too. Practices with an ASC (Ambulatory Surgical Center) do very well.

 

[Toadkiller Dog]

But to answer odieoh's question, the $650 is NOT what he takes home. He must first cover all his practice overhead (secretaries, light bill, office rent, equipment fees, nurses, malpractice insurance, etc). Then he pays taxes on it. Then he takes home what is left.

What Andrew is saying is that he does not have to cover the other OR expenses, such as the separate OR time fee, the anestheisiologist, etc.

Cataract reimbursement in my state is closer to $800, btw.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Thanks for clarifying. Read this article: http://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/ophthalmologytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=79646

The total geographically adjusted RVUs for the two procedures in the two regions are shown in the bottom row of the table. For cataract extraction, the totals are 22.28 in San Francisco and 16.85 in Kentucky. For pars plana vitrectomy, the totals are 26.13 in San Francisco and 19.73 in Kentucky.

Multiplying these values by the 2003 conversion factor reveals that the fee schedule amount for a San Francisco ophthalmologist is $819.58 for cataract extraction and $961.21 for pars plana vitrectomy. A Kentucky ophthalmologist's fee schedule will reveal $619.84 for cataract extraction and $725.78 for pars plana vitrectomy.