06/25/2020    Paul Kesselman, DPM

DEA Fee Proposes Increase of 21%

If things were not financially taxing for all
providers right now, the government has found
another instrument to take some hard-earned money
from healthcare practitioners and any entity
involved in the distribution or manufacturing of
controlled substances.

The DEA is now proposing a 21% increase ($731 to
$838) for the triennial registration. This is
especially outrageous for many podiatrists or
healthcare providers who have chosen to
discontinue performing procedures or seeing
patients where prescribing controlled substances
may be required.

Attempts to dis-enroll from the DEA at the time
of registration will be met with many emails and
letters from your networked carriers who will
want to know proof of DEA enrollment and re-
registration or the name of the doctor who will
write those prescriptions for your patients.

It is terribly unfair for the DEA to continue to
increase the cost of practicing, particularly to
those providers who no longer wish to prescribe
narcotics.

There should be a method by which insurance
carriers do not further penalize physicians who
choose not to prescribe narcotics because
they elect not to renew a DEA license. To provide
another doctor's name as your covering doctor who
will write narcotic prescriptions places an undue
burden on that physician and places them in a
precarious position. If you cannot write narcotic
prescriptions, because you elect not to, you most
certainly should not be performing certain
surgeries or seeing specific types of patients.

The additional raise in the fee also is
accompanied by the inability for a refund once
paid, should you choose to retire from practice,
become disabled or any attempt for your estate to
recover any payments should you pass away.

I am interested in hearing from other semi-
retired podiatrists or health care providers who
may share these concerns/opinions or have some
alternative solutions.

Paul Kesselman, DPM, Oceanside, NY

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