.
.
Posted on 08/15/2009 7:32:56 PM PDT by kingattax
President Obama has alienated the very profession whose services he will soon need to surgically remove the foot which is starting to chronically be stuck in his mouth. Orthopedic surgeons have defended their honor in response to an outrageous and ignorant attack from the POTUS.
Statement from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Regarding Comments from President Obama
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) is profoundly disappointed with President Obama's recent comments regarding the value of surgery and blurring the realities of physician reimbursements. The AAOS represents over 17,000 US board-certified orthopaedic surgeons who provide essential services to patients every day. As President Obama has said, "Where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed." In that spirit, we would like to bring some clarity to his comments and underscore the value that orthopaedic surgeons bring to Americans every day of every year.
First, surgeons are neither reimbursed by Medicare, nor any provider for that matter, for foot amputations at rates anywhere close to $50,000, $40,000 or even $30,000. Medicare reimbursements to physicians for foot amputations range from approximately $700 to $1200 which includes the follow up care the surgeon provides to the patient up to 90 days after the operation. Moreover, orthopaedic surgeons are actively involved in the preventive care he mentions. We are a specialty that focuses on limb preservation whenever possible and when it is in the best interests of the patient. Our approach to amputation follows the same careful, thoughtful approach, always with the patients best interest as the primary focus.
It is also a mischaracterization to suggest that physicians are reimbursed "immediately." The AAOS itself, along with numerous other organizations, has testified in Congressional hearings investigating the delays in reimbursement by Medicare and other payers that create additional administrative burdens making it more difficult to provide access to care for patients.
As President Obama continues to pursue the health care reform agenda, we implore him to disengage from hyperbole and acknowledge that health care delivery can only be improved by recognizing that health care is a system in which orthopaedic surgeons play a crucial role. With $849 billion of our national economy impacted by musculoskeletal conditions, orthopaedic surgeons provide care that improves lives and puts people back to work. Pediatric orthopaedic surgeons provide life-altering care to our nation's children and play an invaluable role in ensuring Medicaid patients have access to needed services. Military and civilian orthopaedic surgeons provide care to our service women and men which preserves limbs and has improved survival rates over past conflicts. Orthopaedic trauma surgeons perform limb- and life-saving procedures and help to ensure that our communities have the medical services that we all deserve. Total hip and knee replacement surgeries are now two of the most successful operations in medicine through a predictable reduction in pain, restoration of function, and return of patients to both work and activities of daily living. And we are working every day to ensure that medicine provides Americans with disabilities the quality of life to which they are entitled.
The AAOS is committed to improving the American health care delivery system and increasing health care coverage. The most expedient way to accomplish health care reform is to ensure that the debate is based in fact and reflects the value of the services that all physicians, including orthopaedic surgeons, provide.
.
.
I have great respect for orthopedic surgeons.
I have no respect for Zer0.
First the Orthopedic Surgeon teamed with the Oral Surgeon have to wait for the Urology Surgeon to remove his head, mouth and foot from his BUM.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
First he alienates the American College of Surgeons, now the American Academy of Orthopedists. Hope none of the Obamas need surgery anytime soon. He really should take the time to learn something about health care before he runs his mouth.
And we are working every day to ensure that medicine provides Americans with disabilities the quality of life to which they are entitled.
##########
Very well stated! The word “ENTITLED”, says it all...
Ping!
"But, if that same diabetic ends up getting their foot amputated, that's $30,000, $40-50,000 immediately the surgeon is reimbursed."
"But why not make sure that we're also reimbursing the care that prevents the amputation, right? That'll save us money ?"
His wife was a very highly paid hospital administrator. Couldn’t she help him out a bit? He appears clueless about medical issues. Reminds me of when HRC said she and Bill had just become aware that nutrition played a part in health back in ‘93, while trying to hijack the whole system.
They should forget about his lies re: the reimbursement figures and comment on his calling them butchers who chop limbs off for greed. THAT is a disgusting charge.
It’s obvious that these physicians are all racists.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
If we wait too much longer, someone will have to plunge scissors into the skull of the bill to suck out thousands of pages of concepts and ideas.
There is no compromise with Marxism. We need to counsel SanFranNan and Dingy Harry that the 'end of life' is near for this dung heap.
Actually, I think he would need a proctologist for that....but Zero is SUCH a wanker, the Urologist would probably come in handy, too. :-)
Was the comment with or without the teleprompter?
Inquiring minds want to know if just the president, or the president and his speechwriters, are idiots.
michelle's hospital "job" was a political gratuity. my neighbor's parakeet knows more about medical issues than either one of these phonies
What does Obummer even hope to gain by insulting doctors and surgeons by calling them heartless greedy evil scumbags? This man is the POTUS but to hear him talk you’d think he was a combination of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini.
I was thinking the same thing - you made me laugh tonight - thanks, I needed that!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
