Article Abstract:
Physicians have traditionally fought health care reform but have been forced to embrace some type of change. Most favor mandatory employer-supplied health insurance with expanded federal coverage for the poor. However, on the issue of cost controls, which would affect physicians directly, physicians are sharply divided. The American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family physicians endorses global caps on medical costs, while the American Medical Association rejects global budgeting. Some fear that politicians may use this difference to divide the medical community during reform planning.
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Article Abstract:
The federal government has issued new regulations that require health maintenance organizations (HMOs) providing Medicare and Medicaid services to disclose their physicians' pay in order to elucidate the payment of incentives linked to the denial of care. The pay disclosure mandate is in effect when over one-quarter of the physicians' income is derived through capitation, bonus or withholding arrangements. HMOs must buy stop-loss insurance to cover the risk linked to physicians' refusal of medical care.
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Article Abstract:
The political battle over the 1996 federal budget is starting to yield some alternative proposals for Medicare reform that promise significant savings in healthcare costs, even while reducing the amount to be taken from physicians' compensation. Conservative democrats in the House are proposing a reduction in Medicare spending of $127 billion over a seven year period in conjunction with a single conversion factor system for physician payments.
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