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Medicare: Graduate Medical Education Payment Policy Needs to Be Reexamined

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date May 4, 1994
Report No. HEHS-94-33
Subject
Summary:

It is widely held that the United States is not training enough primary care physicians relative to types of physicians. In 1961, about half of all doctors were in primary care practice; if current trends continue, that number could drop to about 26 percent by 2020. At the same time, if health care reform establishes a delivery system that incorporates managed care, the need for primary care physicians will increase. The Medicare program is the primary vehicle through which the federal government helps finance physician training and education. Although data are limited, some researchers argue that hospitals are using Medicare funds to disproportionately underwrite the training of nonprimary care physicians at a time when more primary care physicians are needed. This report (1) describes how Medicare compensates hospitals for the costs of graduate medical education and (2) determines the extent of Medicare support for the graduate medical education of primary and nonprimary care physicians.

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