Also, ACP says Congress should enact Medicare payment reform so that the career choices of medical students and young physicians are largely unaffected by considerations of differences in earning expectations. Currently, primary care physicians, on average, earn 55 percent of what other specialists earn.
Dr. Harris asked: "Is it any wonder, then, why only 2 percent of fourth-year medical students plan to go into general internal medicine, a specialty that adults depend on for their primary care?"
ACP believes that a reasonable goal would be to raise primary care compensation to the 80th percentile of the compensation for other specialists. This would require that Medicare and other payers increase primary care reimbursement by 7-8 percent per year over the next five years.
"And, The Patient-Centered Medical Home enjoys the support of a wide range of health care stakeholders, including physician organizations, consumer organizations, employers, health plans and quality-focused organizations," Dr. Harris noted.
The current Medicare Medical Home Demonstration, which is currently limited to eight states, should be expanded to be a national pilot, with increased funding to allow for such expansion, Dr. Harris pointed out.
"ACP also strongly supports the need to include funding in the budget for comprehensive health care reform that allows for prudent investment to make health care more effective and efficient," Dr. Harris concluded. "Some of these investments, like funding of prevention and primary care, will have long-term benefits that may not be fully recognized under the usual budget scoring conventions."
After all, Dr. Harris pointed out, "Medicare patients deserve the best possible medical care. Investments in primary care and other ACP recommendations will result in better health care and lower costs."
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| Contact: David Kinsman dkinsman@acponline.org 202-261-4554 American College of Physicians Source:Eurekalert |