Continued Medicare reimbursement declines could threaten access to physicians

These reimbursement trends varied widely by physician specialty (-57.6% for cardiac surgery to +189.1% for pain management). In comparison, non-physician practitioners’ reimbursement per Medicare patient increased more than 3-fold over the same period. The research, published today in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing evaluated changes in payments for Part B services for 100% of traditional Medicare beneficiaries between 2005 and 2021.