Sen. Cornyn Op-Ed Discusses Need For Medicare Physician Payment System Overhaul

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 19 Mar 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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Without "immediate reforms to the way our government pays physicians under Medicare, we can expect a major decline in the number of physicians available and an ever higher spike in the cost of care," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) writes in a Houston Chronicle opinion piece. Cornyn writes that the "negative trends have already begun," adding that "physician reimbursements across the country lag far behind actual practice costs" by about 15%. To compensate for the low reimbursements, physicians have "crowded their waiting rooms with extra patients, resulting in rushed visits, less one-on-one time and a lower quality of care."

Cornyn writes that if "we really want serious health care reform, we need to start with changing the way we pay physicians" and that the U.S. needs "a system that provides incentives for reduced costs and quality care while protecting the eroded physician-patient relationship." Cornyn says legislation he introduced in the Senate "would pave the way for meaningful physician payment reforms" by getting "rid of the unsuccessful spending cap and focus[ing] on improving health care delivery and lowering costs." The bill also would "speed up the adoption of health information technology," he writes.

Cornyn concludes, "Our health care system is in need of major reforms," adding, "Once we ensure a viable future generation of physicians, we can begin to work on increasing insurance coverage for Texans so that everyone has access to the world-class medical services our state has to offer" (Cornyn, Houston Chronicle, 3/16).

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