| 20. Dr. Jones believes that two treatments are of equal value to his patients. He chooses the one for which he will receive the higher reimbursement. |
| # | Response Date | Comment |
| 1. | Tue, 3/13/07 10:57 PM | on whether or not it is more expensive for the patient. |
| 2. | Tue, 3/13/07 11:07 PM | Is the the higher reimbursement procedure more detrimental to the patient in any way? Equal value does not mean equal patient ease. If the higher reimbursement tx. is more difficult for the patient in any way then a conflict of interest is present. |
| 3. | Tue, 3/13/07 11:29 PM | No conflict if the cost to the patient is the same. |
| 4. | Wed, 3/14/07 2:46 PM | Unethical, but not a COI |
| 5. | Wed, 3/14/07 4:48 PM | On the cost of the two treatments to the patient. If the cost to patient is equal, then there is no COI, but if the higher reimbursement treatment has a higher pt cost, then there is definitely a COI. |
| 6. | Fri, 3/16/07 2:35 PM | This seems a COI, but sometimes insurance companies give incentives for prescribing the lower cost medication with higher reimbursement to the provider and no difference to the patient. |
| 7. | Sat, 3/17/07 6:47 PM | Does this come at a higher cost to the patient? |
| 8. | Sun, 3/18/07 6:34 PM | Depends on whether his patients will be affected by the cost (i.e. whether they can afford it). |
| 9. | Mon, 3/19/07 6:55 PM | Shouldn't the patient chose? I guess it depends on the treatment. |
| 10. | Sun, 4/29/07 9:23 PM | It depends on the impact on the patient. Dr Jones should choose the treatment that has the best balance between cost to the patient (physical, emotional, financial, etc) and benefit to the patient. If choosing the treatment with the higher reimbursement has the same impact on the patient as the one with lower reimbursement, then there is only a small-moderate COI based on the long term effects on insurance rates. |