One of the cost control techniques developed and imple mented by government is the requirement for a second concur ring opinion for surgical procedures proposed Medicaid funded patients. This current study attempted to assess the impact of the second concurring opinion requirement of the cost of Medi caid funded surgical procedures. Within the context of this research objective, it was hypothesized that the costs associ ated with Medicaid funded surgical procedures will be higher in those cases where second concurring opinions are sought than in those cases where no second surgical opinion is obtained.
Summary of the Conduct of the Study
Cluster sampling was employed in the conduct of this research study. Two clusters were identified. Both clusters were located within the same general hospital. The first clus ter was comprised of patients undergoing Medicaid funded surgi cal procedures prior to the implementation of the second surgi cal opinion requirement for Medicaid funded patients. For this first cluster, a group of 100 patients receiving Medicaid
funded surgical procedures were selected (through the applica tion of random selection procedures) from among the population of such procedures performed during the six month time period immediately preceeding the implementation of the second surgi cal opinion requirement for Medicaid funded patients. The second cluster was comprised of patients undergoing Medicaid funded surgical procedures subsequent to the implementation of the second surgical opinion requirement for Medicaid funded patients. For this second cluster, a second group of 100 Medi caid funded surgical procedures were selected (through the application of random selection procedures) from among the population of such procedures performed during the third six month time period subsequent to the implementation of the second surgical opinion requirement for Medicaid funded patients.
Total cost data (from t...