STAT

Opinion: Anomalies shed light on doctors’ compensation

Figure this: The median income for a non-metro-area anesthesiologist is $25,000 higher for one in a metro area.

The term “physician compensation” could be among the top phrases in health care this year.

Though it’s always been a hot topic, it got hotter when the Trump administration announced a proposal that would affect nearly 40 percent of Medicare payments. That plan would have replaced a fee scale that compensated doctors more for seeing sicker patients with a flat-fee model that reimburses them at the same or similar rates regardless of the condition being treated or complexity of the visit.

In various spheres of health care, from private equity investors pricing out purchases of physician practices to specialists negotiating salaries or recruiters seeking to draw the best talent to their practices, compensation is often a big lever to pull.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About Amylyx Pulling Its ALS Drug, GLP-1 Drugs For Parkinson’s, And More
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals will take its ALS drug Relyvrio off the market in the U.S. and Canada, ending a multi-year saga for patients with the rare neurodegenerative disease.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About An OptumRx Contract, 340B Dispute Resolution, And More
Cardinal Health announced its pharmaceutical distribution contracts with UnitedHealth's OptumRx unit will not be renewed after they expire in June.
STAT1 min read
USDA Faulted For Disclosing Scant Information About Outbreaks Of H5N1 Avian Flu In Cattle
With 28 herds in eight states infected with H5N1 bird flu, scientists are calling on the U.S. to release more data to help them assess the risk.

Related Books & Audiobooks