New Study: Medicare’s Price Controls Are Fueling America’s Growing Doctor Shortage
The Pacific Research Institute’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation today released a new issue brief warning that continued federal underpayment of doctors is fueling a looming healthcare crisis by accelerating the nation’s physician shortage and undermining access to care. Written by PRI senior fellow in business and economics and CMEI director Dr. Wayne Winegarden, the brief (titled “It’s Time for Medicare to Stop Shortchanging Physicians”) finds that Medicare reimbursement rates are well below market ...
How Trump’s ‘Prior Authorization’ Deal Puts Patients Ahead of Paperwork
Americans increasingly need a permission slip from their insurance company before they can get medical care. And it’s driving them crazy. According to one recent survey, nearly three-quarters of patients find delays and denials of treatment by insurers to be a major problem with our health-care system. Fortunately, a new federal initiative may address their concerns. The Trump administration recently struck a deal with insurers to streamline “prior authorization,” whereby patients and doctors must secure ...
Stop Catastrophizing Catastrophic Plans
Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed a rule to expand access to catastrophic health insurance plans on the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. The move may appear modest. In reality, it addresses one of the central design features that has made exchange coverage so expensive for many Americans. Catastrophic plans offer low monthly premiums in exchange for higher deductibles. They protect consumers against major medical events while leaving ...
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