As reimbursement falls, costs continue to rise. Employees want raises and benefits for these employees continue to rise. Along with the cost of reimbursement falling, the number of uninsured has risen. It is approximately 44 million at this time and one-third of them are children. As an orthopaedic surgeon, I take trauma call in my hospital emergency room.
Most orthopaedic surgeons do.
We are obligated to care for patients. We are entitled to care for all comers with orthopaedic problems in the emergency room regardless of ability to pay. When reimbursement was high, insurance companies kind of subsidized unreimbursed medical care. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. When somebody breaks a bone, it requires a cast.