Will physicians’ reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid increase?
PRO (yes)
Pro
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) stated the following in its fact sheet “How Will Health Care Reform Legislation Impact Payment to Physicians?,” available at www.aafp.org (accessed Aug. 25, 2010):
“… [T]he health reform legislation includes a number of payment improvements for family physicians that will result in immediate and significant Medicare payment increases…
All physicians in family medicine, general internal medicine, geriatrics and pediatrics whose Medicare charges for office, nursing facility and home visits comprise at least 60 percent of their total Medicare charges will be eligible for a 10 percent bonus payment for these services from 2011–16.”
Aug. 25, 2010
Pro
The American Medical Association (AMA) stated the following in its fact sheet “How the Passage of Federal Health System Reform Legislation Impacts Your Practice,” available at www.ama-ass.org (accessed Aug. 25, 2010):
“H.R. 3590 includes a number of payment improvements for physicians that, combined, will result in immediate and significant Medicare payment increases for many physicians…
All physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics and pediatrics whose Medicare charges for office, nursing facility and home visits comprise at least 60 percent of their total Medicare charges will be eligible for a 10 percent bonus payment for these services from 2011–16…
All general surgeons who perform major procedures (with a 10- or 90-day global service period) in a health professional shortage area will be eligible for a 10 percent bonus payment for these services from 2011–16…
For 2010, Medicare will increase payment for psychotherapy services by 5 percent…
The national average ‘floor’ on Medicare’s geographic payment adjustment (commonly known as the GPCI) for physician work expired at the end of 2009. The law re-establishes that floor in 2010. In 2010 and 2011, Medicare will also reduce the GPCI adjustment for physician practice expenses in rural and low-cost areas. And, beginning in 2011, the practice expense GPCI adjustment will be brought up to the national average for ‘frontier’ states (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming). Physicians in 56 localities in 42 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will benefit from these geographic payment adjustments.”
Aug. 25, 2010
Pro
The US Department of Health & Human Services stated the following in its web resource “Timeline: What’s Changing and When,” available at www.healthcare.gov (accessed Aug. 25, 2010):
“As Medicaid programs and providers prepare to cover more patients in 2014, the Act requires states to pay primary care physicians no less than 100 percent of Medicare payment rates in 2013 and 2014 for primary care services. The increase is fully funded by the federal government.”
Aug. 25, 2010
CON (no)
Con
[Editor’s Note: We have been unable to find any cons to this question, and if you know of any, please let us know. Aug. 23, 2010]
