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Paying for physician services under Medicare and Medicaid
The Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly. Health and Society
|January 1, 1979
Summary
Public physician reimbursement systems struggle to balance service access for the poor and elderly with cost containment. Econometric analysis reveals current payment structures are problematic for Medicare and Medicaid.
Area of Science:
- Health economics
- Public policy analysis
- Econometrics
Background:
- Public reimbursement systems aim to provide healthcare access for vulnerable populations.
- Balancing service availability with cost control presents a significant challenge for healthcare systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate physician pricing behavior under public reimbursement systems.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current payment arrangements for programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Main Methods:
- Econometric estimation techniques were employed.
- Policy simulations of physician pricing were conducted.
Main Results:
- Current physician payment systems present significant difficulties.
- The objectives of major public health programs are not being adequately met.
Conclusions:
- Existing reimbursement models require re-evaluation to better serve both patients and program goals.
- Unorthodox policy simulations offer insights into physician economic behavior.