Malpractice News: Medicare Will Not Pay for Hospital Mistakes

For years, no matter what the treatment or the outcome, hospitals were always reimbursed by Medicare for medical services provided to Medicare-eligible patients.

While hundreds of thousands of Americans receive an excellent quality of care in U.S. hospitals each day, many patients are harmed and sometimes die because of preventable errors and medical mistakes.

Beginning in October 2008, Medicare will no longer pay for medical care caused or related to a hospital medical mistake or error.  Medicare also states that the hospital will not be able to request payment from the patient for these mistakes.

The hospital mistakes that will be excluded from payment include:

• Urinary infection from catheter
• Bed sores
• Surgical object left in body
• Air embolism
• Giving wrong type of blood
• Blood infection from catheter
• Chest infection after bypass surgery
• Hospital-caused injury

If you or a loved one has been injured because of medical malpractice, our lawyers may be able to help.  For a free review of your case, fill out this form or call us at 1 (800) 476-6070.

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see also:

Medicare and Medical Billing Mistakes Medical News Update: Medicare policies on billing for medical mistakes
Medical News: Update on Medicare policies on medical mistakes billing

Malpractice: Staph Virus Hospital malpractice: Canada reports MRSA Staph virus statistics
MRSA staph virus deaths in Canada hospitals. Is it malpractice?

Malpractice & Hospitals Medical Malpractice: Certain Hospitals Linked to Excess Mortality
Malpractice in the News: Medicare hospital patients at risk--lawyers