In the Journal, John Goodman, president and CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis, calculated that the price of cataract surgery is 15 times greater than a primary care office visit. But the AAO said Mr. Goodman had not included practice expenses, malpractice costs and postoperative office visits for three months after surgery, which makes cataract charges actually four times greater than charges for a primary care visit.
The AAO argued that patients would agree to this higher rate for cataract surgery, adding that it supports payment reform that “allows the patient a role in determining what a service is worth.”
Related Articles on American Academy of Ophthalmology:
4 Things You Should Know About the ASC Quality and Access Act of 2011
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