For a doctor, learning that a patient has died is often an emotional moment. Emergency room physician Roneet Lev wondered if telling doctors when their patients die of an overdose might motivate them to rethink their prescribing behavior. “I asked other physicians…
Category: Industry Updates
BCBS Controversial ER Claims Process Begins – Houston
The largest health insurer in Texas changed an ER claims review process Monday. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas said its 500,000 HMO members may have to pay the entire cost of an out-of-network emergency room bill, if they go for…
Texas allows Blue Cross Blue Shield to deny payments for some out-of-network ER visits
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will begin a controversial new program Monday in which it will not pay any expenses for an out-of-network emergency room visit if it is later determined the patient should have gone elsewhere for…
9 unforgettable emergency room stories
The next time you have an embarrassing situation or accident, I want you to keep in mind that compared to what doctors see on a daily basis, it is likely no one will blink twice. Here are some of my…
Victoria freestanding ER closes amid battle with insurers
Mercer ER, a slick, stand-alone 24-hour emergency center near Home Depot, closed its doors for good last week. Patty Lutes, a 29-year-old executive assistant in Victoria, said she wasn’t surprised it closed, especially after her experience of receiving a surprise…
If it’s not an emergency, Blue Cross Blue Shield won’t pay
It’s the middle of the night and that nagging chest pressure seems to be getting worse. Could be a heart attack. Could be indigestion from the bad burrito at dinner. Do you a) Go to the nearest emergency room; b)…
HCA helps fill gap in care left by Houston hospital closure
Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare’s Gulf Coast Division will open a new freestanding emergency room in Houston July 17, according to the Houston Business Journal. The new ER will help fill the medical gap left by the closure of HCA’s East Houston…
Why you may start seeing fewer free-standing ERs around Houston
Gavin Grajales is a typical little boy. “He’s very, very active. I mean, into everything,” said Gavin’s mother, Holly. He never stops moving, until something, such as an accident at the park, gets in his way. “He fractured his wrist…
Financial problems threaten Houston-area freestanding…
There are 300 freestanding emergency rooms across Texas, down just slightly from a year ago, according to the Texas Association of Freestanding Emergency Centers (TAFEC). While business has been booming for almost a decade, one company located in Houston is…
The Cognitive Dissonance of Narcotic Prescribing by Dr. Edwin Leap – EdwinLeap.com
I know a bit about the opioid epidemic ravaging America. My wife and I grew up in West Virginia and follow the news from home. I practice emergency medicine in rural South Carolina, and have worked in Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky…
I am currently a Physician Liaison focused on scheduling Emergency Medicine Providers into our Hospital. We schedule a variety of shifts and with my 8+ years of healthcare experience, I am excited to maximize every provider's personal time.
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