MedPAC Calls for Pay Increases
Most Medicare beneficiaries are able to get timely appointments when they need them, according to an annual survey conducted by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. In fact, Medicare beneficiaries report better physician access than the privately insured population, according to the findings, which were based on a poll of 4,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 4,000 privately insured individuals aged 50–64 years. Of note, both groups reported that finding a new primary care physician was more difficult than finding a new specialist. In related news, MedPAC voted last month to request that Congress approve a 1% increase in the Medicare physician payment rate for 2011. In addition, the commission pushed for a budget-neutral payment increase specifically for primary care services.