http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/04/flawed-medicare-pay-formula.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/04/flawed-medicare-pay-formula.html#comment-73832 Anonymous Wed, 11 Apr 2007 23:11:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/04/flawed-medicare-pay-formula.html#comment-73832 Simple hourly charge rates, billed in 5 or 10 minute increments would be simple to administer, simple to monitor, and easy for people to assess the relative price of different professionals, which they could then decide if they wanted to pay it or move down the scale. It could integrate into Medicare by the government setting the rate they will pay, with balance billing legal. It would unmask a huge doctor glut with the incentive to churn patients and procedures removed. There would always be someone willing to take the Medicare rate, but as others could charge more, there would be incentives to develope excellence. Simple hourly charge rates, billed in 5 or 10 minute increments would be simple to administer, simple to monitor, and easy for people to assess the relative price of different professionals, which they could then decide if they wanted to pay it or move down the scale. It could integrate into Medicare by the government setting the rate they will pay, with balance billing legal. It would unmask a huge doctor glut with the incentive to churn patients and procedures removed. There would always be someone willing to take the Medicare rate, but as others could charge more, there would be incentives to develope excellence.

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