By now you know that Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) has offered a “Call to Arms” for health care reform by way of a 98-page policy document. There is much to think about in Baucus’ proposal, so you might have missed the section where he talks about increasing payments to primary care providers at the expense of compensation for specialists. But in the future, keep your eyes peeled for developments around this proposition—because supporting primary care is going to be a complex and controversial undertaking.
Baucus rightly recognizes that primary care is “undervalued” in our health care system. The Medicare reimbursement schedule—which is the model for private insurers rates—pays a lot more for removing a wart than it does, say, for talking to patients about their medications. Doing something to a patient (procedural care) is compensated much more than is doing something with a patient (cognitive care). The result is that generalists, including family practitioners, internists, primary care providers (PCPs), geriatricians and palliative care specialists make a lot less than proceduralists.
Today the average annual salary of a radiologist is $354,000, and at the high end they make $911,000. Orthopedic surgeons pull in $459,000 to $1.352 million; cardiovascular surgeons average $558,719 to $852,000. By contrast, internists report average salaries of $176,000; after years of experience, they can hope to make $245,000. In the middle of her career, the typical pediatricians can expect to earn $175,000; later, she may move up to $271,000. The average family practitioner may gross $204,000, at the high end he can look for $299,000.Continue reading…
