The World Health Organization owns the copyright to the ICD-10 codes that are currently used around the world to apply for reimbursement through the various insurance companies. They slowly update the books and change codes in order to force medical providers to purchase newer books when only a handful of codes have changed. But if you don’t use the “right” code, the insurance company will deny your payment. If these codes are supposed to be more accurate and needed for increased research, why aren’t there more specific codes for the typical issues seen in medical practice? The have codes for left side (1) and right side (2) of almost every single body joint or problem, but quite often patients have issues on BOTH sides. Why not create a code for bilateral (3) problems to avoid have to use two codes for one problem? Even better, why not have a code for “left worse than right” (4) or “right worse than left” (5)? They will probably get around to this but doing it slowly makes them more money!
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Per a letter I wrote awhile back, I see that the Oregon PDMP is finally reporting the refills properly per my suggestion.
If they want to claim religious beliefs, then they need to be willing to pay the consequences of such beliefs too.
Pulled out some records to check some things and refreshed myself with something I had been meaning to post earlier but got distracted.
I find it amazing that so many clinics, especially pain clinics are ignoring the requirements of having pain agreements and Material Risk Notices with their patients.
Here is a letter that I sent to the Office Manager of Oregon Cardiology, located at Peace Health Sacred Heart Medical Center, by fax on 12-10-19.
