A post on the KevinMD blog written by Bob Doherty, Senior VP of the American College of Physicians, says that regardless of who wins the 2012 Presidential election, the fee-for-service payment methodolgy to physicians under Medicare may be dead.
The health reform proposals from President Obama and Governor Romney approach Medicare from different angles, but each may end up killing fee-for-service payments, or at least turn them into something unrecognizable from the current system. Global or episodic payments are likely to become the norm, though fee-for-service may survive for individual physicians with payment calculations based not just upon volume but also quality, efficiency and other measures. Whether through Accountable Care Organizations as supported by the Democrats or market-based insurance policies with governmental premium supports as proposed by the Republicans, it is clear that the old methods of physician payments will not be sustained in the long run.