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Biomedical subjects

M Soroka

Publications and source records attributed to M Soroka.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Specialty differentials, limited license practitioners, and Medicare's new fee schedule.

The use of specialty differentials in the newly adopted Medicare fee schedule has been debated over the past 2 years. Arguments supporting the elimination of specialty differentials for optometrists and ophthalmologists are presented. The first recommendations by the Physician Payment Review Commission eliminating specialty differentials represent a victory for optometry in its efforts to achieve parity in the reimbursement of Medicare-covered services. Relative value units and practice costs to be used by the new Medicare fee schedule must be determined for optometry. Estimates of the model fee schedules for eye care procedures have been released by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Economics, Medical↗
PubMed1991

Standards of care.

The health care community is quickly progressing in the direction of the development and acceptance of the concept of standards of care. Optometry has lagged behind other health disciplines in this process and must develop its own or face the likelihood of having to conform to standards created by others. The argument is no longer whether standards should be created, but rather the creation of appropriate standards and guidelines that will best serve the profession and the public.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

A comparison of charges by optometrists and ophthalmologists under the Medicare program.

Medicare data obtained from the Health Care Financing Administration was analyzed in relation to average allowed charges by optometrists and ophthalmologists. Optometric charges are considerably lower than ophthalmological charges for all services compared. The policy of different reimbursement levels is currently a major issue being considered by the Physician Payment Review Commission. Optometry must demonstrate that the procedure codes for which they submit Medicare claims are comparable and identical in service content to those provided by ophthalmologists.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.↗
PubMed1991

Predicted and observed effects of the Medicare Optometry Parity Amendment.

The Medicare Parity Amendment of 1987 redefined the conditions of optometric participation and expanded coverage to include all Medicare-covered services which optometrists are authorized to perform under state law. Prior to the law, a number of studies projected costs to Medicare as a result of a change in Medicare policy. This paper reviews these studies in relation to actual Medicare expenditures from 1986 to 1988. The paper describes the impact of the Medicare amendment on payments to optometrists and shows how payments increased from $12 million in 1986 to $81 million in 1988. Optometrists substantially increased their market share of Medicare payments from 2.6 percent in 1986 to 11.1 percent in 1988. Indications suggest that a shift of patient visits from ophthalmologists to optometrists has occurred.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.↗
PubMed1991

The Medicare Optometry Parity Amendment: predicted and actual payments to optometrists and ophthalmologists.

This paper compares various costs estimates for the expansion of optometric services under the Medicare program that were developed prior to the enactment the Medicare Parity Amendment of 1986. The new law, effective April 1, 1987 redefines the conditions of optometric participation and expanded coverage to include all Medicare covered services for which optometrists are authorized to perform under the state law. The paper describes the impact of the Medicare amendment with regard to payments to optometrists and ophthalmologists. Payments to optometrists increased from $12 million in 1986, a year before the Medicare Amendment to $81 million in 1988, the first full year after the law's implementation increasing their market share of Medicare payments from 2.6% to 11.1%. Ophthalmology incurred a significant decrease in market share from 97.9% to 88.9% during this period.

Direct Service Costs↗
PubMed1990

A survey of optometric practice in New York State: trends and policy considerations.

A mail survey of actively practicing optometrists in New York state revealed information about present and future manpower supply, modes of practice, procedures and instrumentation used, services rendered, third party reimbursement and involvement in continuing education. The survey illustrates the need to increase the gathering of such data in order to analyze practice patterns and more accurately initiate short- and long-term planning within the profession.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Comprehensive vision care under third party programs: increased services and increased scrutiny.

Physician reimbursement under Medicare has been rising by about 15 percent each year. Part of this increase is due to an increase in unnecessary tests and procedures. To control provider billing, Congress passed legislation that will establish a Medicare fees schedule and expenditure targets. Increased surveillance and monitoring of Medicare claims are taking place. Diagnostic procedures are being questioned and denied when deemed inappropriate in relation to a diagnosis. Managed care techniques also are being implemented by private insurance carriers to prevent overutilization. Clinic practice guidelines are being developed by the health professions. Optometry, as well as all other health professions, will be subject to increased utilization and quality review.

Delivery of Health Care↗
PubMed1989

Vision care benefits and optometric services in HMOs.

General eye care, although not a required basic health service of federally qualified health maintenance organizations (HMOs), is being offered in virtually all HMOs. Reasons for including vision care benefits and optometric services are presented. Data from the Group Health Association of America and the Department of Health and Human Services demonstrates that HMOs are in fact providing vision care benefits and optometric services. The growth of the independent practice association (IPA) model is significant for optometry as it threatens to limit the scope of optometric practice. New professional problems arise as participating optometrists are constrained from performing the full range of optometric services. In recent years optometry has expanded its scope of licensure and practice to incorporate both diagnostic and therapeutic drugs in its management of visual problems. Managed care and alternate delivery systems, however, may restrict the advances that optometry has made in the legislative arena.

Health Maintenance Organizations↗
PubMed1979

Knowledge and use of eye care services by college and health professional students: implications for the profession.

A questionnaire survey of 1277 students in colleges of liberal arts, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, and podiatry was undertaken in an effort to determine their knowledge and use of vision care services. Students were asked to define the differences among optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians. Utilization, type of practitioner used, and site of examination are reported. About 56% had had an examination within the past year. Optometrists provided at least 40% of the examinations, but the confusion in the minds of the students is revealed by the fact that some said they were examined by opticians, some by the Department of Motor Vehicles, and some by a person they were not able to identify. Clearly, optometry and the related disciplines have a responsibility to clarify the public confusion.

Female↗
PubMed1978

The supply of optometric manpower.

Approaches to determining health manpower requirements are reviewed. The paper identifies a source of error in determining the present supply of optometric manpower which will ultimately influence any policy or program intended to either correct or adjust future health manpower supplies. The study also demonstrates a need to refine the data on health manpower supplies with particular reference to the characteristics and practices of the optometrist.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

A national optometric-student attitudinal survey.

This paper contains the results of a survey of 1549 optometry students who responded to a questionnaire that was sent to all optometry schools and colleges in the United States. The results reflect student attitudes and opinions about such issues as commercial optometry, malpractice suits, price advertising of glasses and professional services, and the cost of professional education. In addition, the survey results disclose the reasons students enter the profession, their anticipated modes of practice and their expected incomes. We believe that the issues encompassed in this survey will affect the future practice of optometry.

Advertising↗
PubMed1977

[Effect of acoustic microclimate prevailing in shipyards on the health of workers].

Yearly measurements of external noise (Noise--Pollution--Level) in the shipyard in Stettin, indicated noise levels above 85 dBA, expressed in LqM. On the ground of documentation of periodic medical examinations of the staff, one compared the rate of occurrence of disturbances in health state, such as: hearing impairment, gastric and duodenal peptic ulcer, hypertension and psychic disturbances in two groups of employees: "A"--exposed during work to noise 85 dBA and "B"--employed at the area of LqM smaller by 20 dBA. Statistically significant differences in the rates of occurrence of disturbances in the health state were found, to the disadvantage of those exposed to noise effect. In these groups also the rate of sickness absenteeism was disadvantageous: in the last 14 years its average values for the shipyard surpassed the average rate for Stettin district and the whole country.

Hearing Disorders↗