Emergency by Appointment

An investigation from Bloomberg News reveals that some cardiologists route uninsured patients who need stents through the Mount Sinai Hospital emergency room, in order to make sure the (very expensive) procedure is paid for. Many of these patients already had appointments with the hospital cath-lab, and some may not have needed the procedure in the first place. Gary Putka, Bloomberg News editor, explains the tactic, as well as other irregularities within Mount Sinai that lead to huge profits, though maybe not what's best for patients' health.

Statement from Mt Sinai in Response to the Bloomberg News Investigation

"The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (CCL) at Mount Sinai is the safest program of its kind in New York State and one of the safest in the country, according to comparative, statewide statistics and data reported by the American College of Cardiology. We firmly stand by our CCL's results as well as by the processes used to identify appropriateness of procedures and to prospectively and retrospectively oversee the quality of care."