I am a nurse. I think I always wanted to be a nurse. I currently work as a care manager...there are a lot of hats that come with that job. Unfortunately, in this job, I deal a lot with Medicare rules. People think the tax code is complicated...oh my. And so far, it doesn't appear that anyone is even looking at putting an end to the madness. They have all the power and I'm drowning under it all.
An example...
Medicare determines the amount of money a hospital will be paid based on the diagnosis. This isn't as easy as it sounds, but I am trying to simplify. So hospitals are encouraged to move patients through the system as quickly as possible to be financially viable. Then Medicare decided that if patients return to the hospital within 30 days for the same diagnosis, the hospital would not be paid, on the theory the patient was discharged too soon. So it was decided that patients that were frequently admitted should be sent home with home health, to help maintain them at home. Beginning April 1, the physician will need to complete a form for patients to go home with home health. Do you know how hard it is to get a doctor to complete a form?
Hospitals can not survive without Medicare, so we are forced to jump through the hoops...no matter how high, how small or how utterly ridicules the latest rules they concoct. Nurses spend more time meeting the criteria every day...form after form, which means less time taking care of sick people.
I am regretting my career choice more and more. I am sick and tired of Medicare's tyrannical rule over healthcare. Somebody needs to put a leash on them.
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