By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy hobbies
    The Importance of Hobbies for Our Health
    September 15, 2024
    Whiplash
    Understanding Whiplash: A Guide For Healthcare Practitioners
    January 22, 2025
    research chemicals and health care
    Chemical Research Drive Medical Breakthroughs
    June 14, 2023
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Hospitals and Providers Using NHIN (Nationwide Health Information Network)
    March 11, 2012
    Image
    Physicians With High Productivity And Satisfaction Scores Employ Strong Patient-Centered Communication Skills
    May 7, 2013
    My Solution to the Healthcare Crisis
    March 31, 2012
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Primary Care Reimbursement
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Primary Care Reimbursement
Health Reform

Primary Care Reimbursement

Gary Levin
Gary Levin
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

Quote of the Day:
God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones.
–Publilius Syrus

A hot button topic for primary care doctors has been about the imbalance of  RVUs allotted for patient visits to a primary care doctor, and the lack of procedure codes. Unlike specialists who have a potpourri of procedures, codes, modifiers to up regulate their fees (all legal and proper), the PCPs are left with  few to chose from.

Quote of the Day:
God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones.
–Publilius Syrus

A hot button topic for primary care doctors has been about the imbalance of  RVUs allotted for patient visits to a primary care doctor, and the lack of procedure codes. Unlike specialists who have a potpourri of procedures, codes, modifiers to up regulate their fees (all legal and proper), the PCPs are left with  few to chose from.

More Read

Pros And Cons Of Supplements In Your Daily Diet
What Mental Health Parity Has Wrought
Putting a Price Tag on the Decision to Opt-Out of the Medicaid Expansion
Mental Health Cost Cuts Strain Law Enforcement
Patient Satisfaction and P4P – Three Things Doctors Need to Know

One fear that specialists verbalize is that the ‘Medicare pie’ is only so big, and CMS is not going to increase it, so that if PCP gets more specialists will get less.

This is a strategic move on the part of CMS and HHS. It has always been this way, and that is why specialists want to continue to control the RVU process. Divide and conquer weakens our voices.

My opinion is that specialists must support their PCP referral base. If we do not then

1. Your referral base will disappear if your PCPs get wind of  your opposition

2. It is foolhardy to enjoy the fruits of medicine no matter what specialty you are in, while other MDs are suffering from disparate incomes. Any health reform must equilibrate the work/reimbursement ratios.

3. PCPs now must have at least three years of postgraduate training, unlike years ago when one year of postgraduate training made one qualified to practice general medicine

In addition to that the AMA has the copyright to CPT coding, something that every physician uses everyday. In fact that is one reason why only 165,000 licensed MDs belong to the venerable AMA.

The AAFP has begun a campaign to change the system. An article in the Wall Street Journal by Anna Wilde Matthews elaborates,

“Primary-care physicians are pressing the agency that oversees Medicare to change a payment system they say places a higher value on work done by specialists.

The American Academy of Family Physicians has sent a letter demanding changes to a committee that plays a key role in Medicare’s process for setting physician payments. The academy wants the panel to add more members representing primary-care groups, among other adjustments.

The academy also has set up a task force to propose new methods for calculating Medicare reimbursement for many of the services provided by primary-care doctors.”

In an article published in 2005 by the Dean’s Newsletter at Stanford School of Medicine, the issues about CPT codes and RVUs points out the added complexity of valuing CPT codes.

Stanford University uses a “Funds Flow Work Group” . If ACOs come to pass, this may be the model for distributing income allotted to physicians. No matter what it is going to be a very interesting and challenging time.

TAGGED:primary care physiciansreimbursement
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025
engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Republican States Swallow Their Pride on Medicaid Expansion

September 19, 2014

Cleveland Clinic CEO Recommends Changes to Current ACO Rules

June 3, 2011
susan mende
Health ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

Avoidable ER Visits: Lessons from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

December 16, 2013
Image Credit: NASA
DiagnosticsGlobal HealthcareHealth ReformMedical Innovations

Making the Cancer “Moonshot” a Reality

February 9, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?