Here two spine surgeons discuss the upcoming election and how its outcome will affect the spine surgeons.
Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.
Next week's question: What technique, developed in the last decade, changed the way spine care was delivered?
Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m. CST
Question: How will the upcoming election affect spine care in the country?
Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Political bents aside, whoever gets elected has a real mess to contend with. We have already seen Aetna and other payers leave the exchanges and this is only the beginning. Spine care will feel pressure from payers and outcomes data to move away from fusion. But seeing what is happening versus what is coming remains nebulous and scary.
I do see physicians pushing back a little against the myth of big data being able to predict patients like a recipe. Whether red or blue in the White House, the challenges will remain the same, as I think what is happening is more akin to gravity than policy — a boulder rolling down a hill that may or may not veer one way or another. And I would caution my colleagues from anyone who sits in its path will inevitably be run over by said boulder.
Plas T. James, MD, Atlanta Spine Institute: I think Obamacare hasn't been the best thing for healthcare. If you elect someone who isn't going to replace Obamacare, there will be more problems in spine care for sure. If you look at it from purely a spine point of view, I think we have to get away from having fewer choices in spine care and spine treatment. The election can affect spine care because if the Democrats are elected, they're going to try and keep the same policies that Obama has put forth with Obamacare. I'm not sure whether the Republicans or the Libertarians are going to change that. However, there's a greater chance of the Republicans changing healthcare policies than the Democrats. I think if it's going on the same track, there's going to be less access to spine care, and it needs to be overhauled.