Recently the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/ * reported: “ In a policy change, the Obama administration is planning to pay doctors to coordinate the care of Medicare beneficiaries, amid growing evidence that patients with chronic illnesses suffer from disjointed, fragmented care.
Although doctors have often performed such work between office visits by patients, they have historically not been paid for it.
Starting in January, Medicare will pay monthly fees to doctors who manage care for patients with two or more chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and depression.
“Paying separately for chronic care management services is a significant policy change,” said Marilyn B. Tavenner, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Officials said such care coordination could pay for itself by keeping patients healthier and out of hospitals.
With the new initiative, Medicare will adopt some of the techniques devised by health maintenance organizations to manage the care of their patients. About 30 percent of the 54 million Medicare beneficiaries are in H.M.O.s and other private health plans run by companies like Kaiser Permanente and Humana, but 70 percent are still in the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program. Doctors will draft and help carry out a comprehensive plan of care for each patient who signs up for one. Under federal rules, these patients will have access to doctors or other health care providers on a doctor’s staff 24 hours a day and seven days a week to deal with “urgent chronic care needs.”
* to read the full NYTs article “Medicare to Start Paying Doctors Who Coordinate Needs of Chronically Ill Patients” by Robert Pear, highlight and click on open hyperlink
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/us/medicare-to-start-paying-doctors-who-coordinate-needs-of-chronically-ill-patients.html?_r=1&utm_campaign=KHN%3A+First+Edition&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=13824111&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jTOhtbJiYr63PBSYBZ9vvJqoTT5BqAPKT5QtvRwicqa-Any7krEtmv7b4Q1OP1q973z5aYMUBXsbkyg57hjKxA1vVFNrT11VVhb6ih_kouzo7vMA&_hsmi=13824111
Doctor, Did You Wash Your Hands? ™ provides information to consumers on understanding, managing and navigating health care options.
Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H., is Clinical Professor, Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Adjunct Professor, Baruch College ( C.U.N.Y.), Rutgers School of Public Health, and Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration
This blog shares general information about understanding and navigating the health care system. For specific medical advice about your own problems, issues and options talk to your personal physician.