Medicare commission recommends primary care increase

Hoping to "reward a career in primary care" and decrease shortages, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended that Congress create a budget-neutral adjustment that will boost payments to doctors providing primary-care services. The adjustment would be payable for both office and home visits, plus visits to patients in nonacute facilities.

Under MedPAC's recommendations, HHS would set criteria that would determine which doctors would be eligible for the extra payment. Along the way, it appears that specialty physicians could lose financially under this proposal, so they're asking MedPAC to consider another approach.

To learn more about the recommendations:
- read this Modern Healthcare article [1] (reg. req.)

Related Articles:
Medicare moving to PPS system for renal care. Medicare report [2]
Medicare P4P results show care improvements. Medicare report [3]
MD groups struggle with Medicare incentive goals. Medicare report [4]
Primary care MDs should manage chronic diseases. Primary care report [5]