BRADENTON, Fla. — Two representatives from the comprehensive and full-service orthopedic, sports medicine and pain management practice Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine & Pain Management (CoastalOrthopedics.com) recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to help lobby for new health care laws related to Medicare.
Orthopedic surgeon and Coastal Orthopedics President Dr. Arthur L. Valadie and Coastal Orthopedics CEO Paige LeMay traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with the staff of Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Bill Nelson, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Congressman Gus Bilirakis and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
Coastal Orthopedics is participating in an innovative payment model called the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Initiative and has been involved in the program since January 2015. The model links payments for multiple services patients receive during an episode of care. The payment method aims for better care at a lower cost to Medicare.
Dr. Valadie and LeMay met with staffers about the future of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement program and discussed the need to extend the program beyond its current term. Bundled Payments for Care Improvement program aims to improve patient care delivery and enhance patient experiences.
“It was a privilege to travel to our nation’s capital to advocate for a payment model that gives health care providers the chance to work together and improve the patient experience,” Dr. Valadie said. “In our meetings, we had the opportunity to speak about how the implementation of the Bundled Payments model has created positive change in Medicare quality. We are working hard, in conjunction with law makers, to improve Medicare laws and ensure that top quality care is provided – from start to finish.”
Joint replacements represent some of the most common inpatient surgeries for Medicare beneficiaries. The Bundled Payments model encourages different providers of a patient’s health care to work together, including hospitals, physicians and recovery experts. Coastal Orthopedics is currently participating in the payment model for total hip, knee, shoulder and ankle replacements.
About Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine & Pain Management
Founded in 1973 and based in Bradenton, Fla., Coastal Orthopedics is home to 15 orthopedic surgeons and pain management physicians who maintain hospital affiliations with Blake Medical Center, Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. In addition to three offices and two ambulatory surgery centers each serving Florida’s West Coast, Coastal Orthopedics’ board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians and surgeons provide patients with the very latest in pain and orthopedic treatment technology. The company strives to repair and heal injuries relating to the entire musculoskeletal system. For more than 40 years, our highly skilled staff of physicians and surgeons has treated patients in specialty care including sports medicine, joint replacement, pain management and rehabilitation. Patients can experience restoration of function both surgically and non-surgically through the use of physician-guided strengthening, therapy, medications, injections and stretching. For more information, please visit CoastalOrthopedics.com or call 941-792-1404.
