An ethical question
David Hendricks
Description
Collection
Title:
An ethical question
Creator:
David Hendricks
Date:
3/22/2006
Text:
Dear Listserv Colleagues:
I had lunch the other day with an orthotist friend who asked my opinion on an ethical question. He's been approached by a company who wants to use his credentials (he's a BOC orthotist, not currently practicing). They are in a state without licensure. They have people who have no credentials, but they have been doing AFOs, CROW walkers, Richie Braces, Arizona-type AFOs, custom shoes, etc. for years. They do this work for Medicare and some insurance companies, but other insurances demand orthotic credentials.
My response to him was that letting a company he doesn't actually work for use his credentials is unethical for the simple reason that it's a lie. He is allowing the company to pretend to these insurers that he is in their employ, when he is not. They are telling the insurer that a credentialed person will be seeing their patients, when that is not true.
His answer was that it's not a matter of patient care. The uncredentialed but competent people already at the facility currently see patients for Medicare and others. It's just a way to get past insurers who have placed impediments in the way of someone becoming a provider in order so they don't have to pay for claims they should be paying for.
He made a valid counter-argument and I promised him I would present this dilemma on the listserv - of which he is not a member - for comment.
What do you think? Has anyone out there has faced a similar decision? Is there any ethical (and legal) way for my friend to derive income from credentials which are current and valid but not being used? Assuming that the facility's use of his credentials is an illegitimate end run around the insurance company's illegitimate block, does that make it ethically OK?
Thanks, in advance, for your comments.
Regards.
David
David Hendricks, CPO, FAAOP
<Email Address Redacted>
HOPE Orthopedic
6439 Milner Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32809
ph: 800-613-8852
fax: 888-440-1217
ph: 407-850-0411
fax: 407-851-8922
I had lunch the other day with an orthotist friend who asked my opinion on an ethical question. He's been approached by a company who wants to use his credentials (he's a BOC orthotist, not currently practicing). They are in a state without licensure. They have people who have no credentials, but they have been doing AFOs, CROW walkers, Richie Braces, Arizona-type AFOs, custom shoes, etc. for years. They do this work for Medicare and some insurance companies, but other insurances demand orthotic credentials.
My response to him was that letting a company he doesn't actually work for use his credentials is unethical for the simple reason that it's a lie. He is allowing the company to pretend to these insurers that he is in their employ, when he is not. They are telling the insurer that a credentialed person will be seeing their patients, when that is not true.
His answer was that it's not a matter of patient care. The uncredentialed but competent people already at the facility currently see patients for Medicare and others. It's just a way to get past insurers who have placed impediments in the way of someone becoming a provider in order so they don't have to pay for claims they should be paying for.
He made a valid counter-argument and I promised him I would present this dilemma on the listserv - of which he is not a member - for comment.
What do you think? Has anyone out there has faced a similar decision? Is there any ethical (and legal) way for my friend to derive income from credentials which are current and valid but not being used? Assuming that the facility's use of his credentials is an illegitimate end run around the insurance company's illegitimate block, does that make it ethically OK?
Thanks, in advance, for your comments.
Regards.
David
David Hendricks, CPO, FAAOP
<Email Address Redacted>
HOPE Orthopedic
6439 Milner Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32809
ph: 800-613-8852
fax: 888-440-1217
ph: 407-850-0411
fax: 407-851-8922
Citation
David Hendricks, “An ethical question,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 16, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/226303.
