Doctors Association ‘Very Concerned’ About Cuts
Following the recent cuts to reimbursement for diagnostic imaging, the Bermuda Medical Doctors Association said they are “very concerned about the effect these cuts will have on Bermudian businesses outside of Bermuda Hospitals Board, our colleagues, their employees and potentially their patients.”
Bermuda Medical Doctors Association President Dr Annabel Fountain said, “Relating to recent cuts to reimbursement for diagnostic imaging in Bermuda, the Bermuda Medical Doctors Association has requested the methodology and other considerations for establishing the new fee schedules.
“We are very concerned about the effect these cuts will have on Bermudian businesses outside of Bermuda Hospitals Board, our colleagues, their employees and potentially their patients. We are concerned now and for future healthcare management in Bermuda.
“A Relative Value Unit [RVU] has been calculated and the Bermuda Health Council states that it incorporates, amongst other things, the relative costs of maintaining a practice, including rent, equipment, supplies, and non-physician staff costs, as well as relative time, skill, training and intensity to provide a given service. The Bermuda Medical Doctors Association is not aware of stakeholder consultation with the community in setting this RVU.
“The Bermuda Medical Doctors Association fully supports efforts to reduce costs to the health care system and to the individual. Threatening the financial stability of local Bermudian businesses and their employees by abrupt changes in reimbursement without adequate transparency and consultation should be discouraged by us all.
“We would like to add that the fees being charged in the community for diagnostic imaging were set by the Bermuda Government, and not by any individual entity. Diagnostic imaging services in the community have based their business plans on the fee schedule set by the Government.
“Of our total health expenditure, diagnostic imaging accounts for about 10%. Although these cuts may have a small effect in the short term, without system-wide redesign, they are unlikely to yield meaningful savings in the medium to long term.
“The Bermuda Medical Doctors Association is working with the Bermuda Health Council, Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Bermuda Medical Council on several projects to develop a more accessible, sustainable health care system, always advocating for our patients.“
