Medicare: Documenting Teaching Physician Services Still a Problem

摘要

Of the hospitals that participate in the Medicare program, about 28 percent are 'teaching hospitals' - they operate post-graduate programs for resident physicians. The teaching physicians who instruct residents perform various functions including classroom instruction, making rounds with their students, examining patients, and discussing courses of treatment. Medicare pays for the medical education activities of these teaching physicians, and the salaries of residents on a cost basis. Teaching physicians also treat or supervise the treatment of Medicare beneficiaries in the hospital. Medicare pays for these services on a reasonable-charge (fee-for-service) basis.