Medicare | Dr. Michael J. O'Connell, New Hampshire

The Medicare payment data dump…

June 9, 2014

Dr. Michael J. O’Connell, New Hampshire, stated the great Medicare payment data dump, as expected, has been monstrously misleading, to some individual providers critically disastrous, and despite the insistence of AARP, not at all useful. Interpretation is impossible unless a truly massive amount of additional information were included for analysis.

If the purpose of releasing these numbers was to better direct attention to fraud and root it out (would there be any other?), this raw data will no better direct the OIG and its auditor contractors, than if the data had never been released. The auditors are very busy these days. And they, unlike us, are well aware of the numbers as well as supporting information to develop a more complete and accurate analysis to target fraud where it exists. Medicare data dump 6

To highlight a single ophthalmology or oncology group based on the data dump is not “transparency,” it is at best a very cruel and misleading report, at worst a blatantly defamatory action. Shame on AARP and all the other entities and individuals who naively believe this dump is a positive step in decision making or fraud identification.

~Dr. Michael J. O’Connell, New Hampshire

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Dr. Michael J. O’Connell, New Hampshire

Dr. Michael J. O'Connell of Barrington, New Hampshire, has forged a distinguished career spanning over three decades, as entrepreneur, physician, businessman, philanthropist and healthcare consultant. As former owner, administrator and CEO of a 225+ employee multi-specialty medical practice, Dr. O'Connell has dedicated his entire professional life to helping patients with family medicine and especially those experiencing chronic pain and all aspects of addiction.

Since selling his family of healthcare businesses, he has never once contemplated retirement despite his rich and fulfilling journey, but instead has turned his focus to consulting in an industry starved for courage and creativity. Having weathered many political, technological and legal challenges, there is hardly a storm he has not confronted, a tempest he has not quelled, an urgent need he has not met. While the talking heads and self-proclaimed experts in the field have assumed the conventions and standards of the times, Dr. O'Connell does not believe in merely reflecting the herd mentality, but rather in leading the charge. Eschewing political correctness, Dr. O'Connell says and does what needs saying and doing, and not what the mindless masses expect.

In addition to the continual education afforded by his variegated life experiences, Dr O'Connell earned his BS in Biochemistry at the University of NH in 1975, his Medical Degree from Dartmouth College in 1981, interned at Walter Reed Medical Center in 1982, Residency/Fellowship at UCSF in1986, and finished his Masters in Healthcare Administration at UNH in 1995. Dr. O’Connell enjoys many outdoor activities, including rock climbing, snowboarding, hiking, and golf.

Through the decades Dr. O'Connell has supported many non-profit charities to include the St. Charles Home in Rochester NH, the Tri City VNA and Hospice, Hyder House, and Cocheco Valley Humane Society. To the latter organization alone Dr. O'Connell has donated over $180,000 and pledged another $250,000 in the “Bring-Us-Home” campaign for a new building. His “Matching Donations Christmas drive” has generated over $175,000 in charitable giving from the community. In addition Dr. O'Connell has participated in many dozens of other volunteer and donation efforts locally as well as in Africa and the Dominican Republic.
For a listing of how I gave back to the community during my career and continue to do see: https://michaeloconnellmdnh.wordpress.com/;