SMORGASBORD OF DENTAL FACTS AND OTHER INTERESTING STUFF

• On March 31, 2015 the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) handed health care providers a blow with the decision that providers cannot bring a lawsuit challenging any state for inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates. Dentistry is particularly hard-hit by this decision.  Most states allocate only two percent or less of their Medicaid budget for dental services while the number of patients on Medicaid is rising.  The SCOTUS decision means there will be no recourse to address excessively low reimbursement rates through the courts for dentists still seeing Medicaid patients.  Dentists in states with reimbursement rates which do not cover the cost of delivering dental care to Medicaid patients will have to decide how many of these patients they can retain without losing so much money that they cannot keep their doors open.  Stay aware of further developments to address this quandary in your state.  Access a PDF version of the SCOTUS decision under “Recent Decisions” at scotusblog.com.

•  Per capita credit card debt in the U.S. has increased 1,500% between 1980 and 2010.  WOW!!  And studies show that dentists have added significantly to the 1,500% increase with frequent, unchecked use of credit cards for discretionary spending.  In fact, dentists spend about 30% more on nice-to-have-but-not-necessary items when paying by credit card rather than with cash.  Suggestion: use credit cards for convenience but pay the bill in full each month.

• In a recent survey of general dental practices and six specialty practices, 264 practices total, for the year 2014, 46% of practices report an increase in the number of new patients.  Just over 22% report increased treatment acceptance rates.  About 34% of practices enjoyed increased “busyness” with just over 37% operating at 90% to 100% of capacity.  Average production for 2014 increased by a little over 4.5% compared to 2013.  25% of practices experienced an increase in discounted fee managed care production with the weighted average increase at 3.7%.  A little over 24% of respondents reported over half their production came from patients enrolled in managed care plans.  The weighted average increase in collections last year was close to 5% over that of 2013.  Higher overhead costs were chiefly responsible for declining profits which dropped to an average of about 36.5%.  For more details from this fascinating study of 264 practices, call The McGill Advisory at 888-249-7537 or go to the website at mcgillhillgroup.com.  For a number of years I have recommended The McGill Advisory as the premier practice management newsletter.  Having no connection whatsoever with the McGill & Hill Group, L.L.C., I can say, “Trust me!  Subscribe now!”

Nothing to do with dentistry, but here’s a remarkable list of athletic milestones for you sports enthusiasts:

“Impossible” achievement in track

Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954.

Scaling Mount Everest 

First done by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal in 1953.

Running for 2000 yards in a season

First done by O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills in 1973.

50 goals in 50 games

 First done by Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1944-45 season.

60 home runs in a season

 First done by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees in 1927.

Stealing more than 100 bases in a season

 First done by Maury Wills of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962.

Perfect 10 in an Olympic gymnastics event

 First done by Nadia Comaneci of Romania in 1976.

Shooting under 60 in a PGA Tour event

 First done by Al Geiberger in 1977.

Winning the Triple Crown in horse racing

 First done by Sir Barton in 1919.