Medicare Physician Payments and Spending

Authors

Laura A. Dummit, George Washington University

Document Type

Issue Brief

Publication Date

10-9-2006

Abstract

The Medicare program’s physician payment method is intended to control spending while ensuring beneficiary access to physician services, but there are signs that it may not be working. The physician’s role in the health care delivery system as the primary source of information and treatment options, together with growing demand for services and the imperfect state of knowledge about appropriate service use, challenge Medicare’s ability to achieve these two goals. This issue brief describes the history of physician spending and the contribution of escalating service use and intensity of services to the rise in Medicare outlays, setting the stage for further discussion about the use of the Medicare payment system to control spending and ensure access.

Comments

Issue brief no. 815

Recommended Citation

Dummit, Laura A., "Medicare Physician Payments and Spending" (2006). National Health Policy Forum. Paper 178.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/sphhs_centers_nhpf/178

Open Access

yes