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Let’s
Talk : 2nd Teleconference
Thursday, April 5th at 1:00 pm
We had a huge response to our first Teleconference.
Come and join the only “live” PI discussion in California . We
talk for only 30 minutes. We don’t charge. This time, the
first subject is how to get attorneys to pay your liens.
We also encourage you to email us your questions, so that you can
personally ask that question during our telephone call.
Email John for your telephone RSVP to
JohnTawlian@Shawnsteel.com. We have a limited capacity
of calls we can handle at once. Register quickly.
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The Easy Clean PI Report: Part 9
9. Low vs. High Value Diagnosis
Writing a
strong and honest diagnosis is not common. Instead many D C ’s
still use 1990’s language miss-describing the traumatic insult
received by their patients.
For example:
A 55 year old patient complains of constant headaches,
unremitting neck pain with tingling to her fingers, low back
discomfort making sitting for more than 15 minutes hard.
A low value diagnosis could be:
 | 784.0 C ephalagia |
| 723.1 C ervicalgia |
| 724.2 Lumbago |
Care will be limited to 2
to 6 weeks. Or,
If warranted, facts and exam justify higher value diagnosis would
justify more care:
| 346.80 Other forms of migraine |
| 720.1 Spinal enthesopathy |
| 721.0 Cervical osteoarthritis |
| 724.9 C2 – C5 stiffness of spine |
| 846.0 Lumbosacral sprain |
| 729.1 L3 –L5 myofacial pain |
| 724.4 L4 – L5 Lumbar nerve root pain |
Care could extend from 4 to 16 weeks plus outside testing and
evaluations.
Depending on the actual facts, most patients are hurt in
moderate to severe trauma. Coupled with age, the injuries can
be devastating. Too often we see diagnosis that will not
justify the DC bill. |
What is a fair amount for me to cut my fee?
Dr. P writes us that her total bill was $ 2795. Case settled for
$ 4000. The PI attorney is offering to pay her 1/3 of the $4000,
which is $1333.33. That would mean a cut of 47%. The DC would be
working for free.
The attorney would also take 1/3, so would the patient. This is
dramatically unfair:
- The attorney suffers no loss.
- The patient gets a windfall
- The DC is the sacrificial lamb.
The solution is to ALWAYS reject the “thirdsies” syndrome.
What is fair, but not necessary, is the following:
- If a tough case, the patient should get her bills paid first,
receive very little, Perhaps 10% of the total.
- Then the attorney and DC could divide the remainder but share
the exact same percentage discount.
- Meaning,
DC receives $2450; the attorney $1150 + 400 for
patient = 4000.00 . About 12% reduction each.
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