Don’t Complicate Complex Chronic Disease Care

This peek into the interworking of a large, multidisciplinary health care delivery site is fascinating. Who knew there was a Star Trek-like element deep within those large, bustling buildings?

Setting aside the sci-fi fascination, Dr. Pelzman’s message is prudent, “we need to streamline the way we take care of our patients.” One way to do that is ensuring that doctors can use their medical expertise to develop individualized treatment plans for each patient and maintain the flexibility to adjust those plans based on how the patient responds. Placing layers of middlemen between the treating physician and the patient obstructs streamlined care. Requiring doctors to play a game of ‘Mother, May I?’ when treating patients is far from streamlined care. Disturbingly, that is exactly what Medicare is proposing to do.

Medicare’s International Pricing Index (IPI) proposal would force physicians to order their patients’ treatment from an outside vendor, which would impede their ability to make adjustments at the point of care and cause treatment delays. Inserting a 3rd party vendor and an untested, new payment model for Medicare Part B therapies – drugs administered to patients in physician offices – will destabilize and jeopardize care for America’s most vulnerable seniors. Join P+P United as it amplifies the voices of patients, providers and caregivers to tell policymakers Don’t Complicate My Care; Don’t Try IPI!