There is little doubt that the time has come for a real fix to Medicare physician fees. The big stall is hurting healthcare.
About The Podcast:
Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.
Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly in dire need of change.
Hosted by healthcare policy and technology expert Marc S. Ryan, the Healthcare Labyrinth Podcast offers accessible, incisive deep dives on the most pressing issues and events in American healthcare.
Marc seeks to help Americans become wiser consumers and navigate the healthcare maze with more confidence and certainty through The Healthcare Labyrinth website and his book of the same name.
Marc is an unconventional Republican who believes that affordable universal access is a wise and prudent investment. He recommends common-sense solutions to reform American healthcare.
Tune in every week as Marc examines the latest developments in space, offering analysis, insights, and predictions on the changing state of healthcare in America.
About The Episode:
In this episode, Marc discusses the need for a real fix to Medicare physician fees.
There is little doubt that the big stall is hurting healthcare.
Key Takeaways:
For decades, Medicare docs have been riding what can only be described as a reimbursement roller coaster.
The payment formula had so many flaws that huge reductions were the reality, often only temporarily undone by lawmakers along the way.
Since 2001, real payments have gone down by about one-third.
This has led to a collapse in independent primary care.
Physicians have been taken over by health systems, health plans, and private equity.
Physician costs are higher now because health systems force their doctors to practice at much higher places of service.
In 2024 and 2025, Medicare docs saw reductions again.
In 2026, Medicare docs received a one-time 2.5% hike, temporarily undoing a 2.5% reduction.
In 2027, Medicare physicians would see yet another reduction because the 2.5% hike expires.
A new bipartisan bill would better tie physician rates to inflation moving forward. It would be costly, but it is an important reform that should pass.
Connect With Marc:
Resources:
The Healthcare Labyrinth: A Guide to Navigating Health Plans and Fixing American Health Insurance
