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May News Quiz

The last few months have seen an avalanche of news coming from Washington. But while most of the focus has been on politics, healthcare has seen its share of newsworthy developments too. Have you been keeping up? Find out by taking the Medical Economics news quiz!

The forcible removal of a passenger from the United Airlines flight has reminded flyers of their general dissatisfaction with the airline industry. Perhaps surprisingly, it should also be a stern warning to physicians

After years of exaggeration, misinformation and a national epidemic of opioid and heroin abuse, the nation is finally coming to terms with the fact that pain is not the fifth vital sign.

After receiving feedback on my previous blog, Medicaid expansion must remain safe in healthcare reform, I must continue to encourage that Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that funds healthcare for the poor, be protected.

While physicians should be circumspect about “firing” patients in most types of cases, they are well within their bounds to dismiss patients who are violent, verbally abusive or use their trusted doctor-patient relationship to feed drug addictions.

While medical offices typically have good cause to dismiss patients who are violent or abusive, doctors and healthcare attorneys say they should be (and generally are) more circumspect in other types of frustrating but ultimately resolvable situations.

Q: We have recently been receiving patient complaints for procedure claim denials. These used to get paid, and our physicians haven’t changed how they are coding. Can you help?

Since approval of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 5, reaction in the healthcare industry has been largely negative.