HHS announces big pay boost for some Medicaid docs

HHS says the increase, required by the health law, would raise primary care doctors' payments for treating Medicare patients, on average, 34 percent.

The Washington Post: Medicaid Payments To Primary Care Doctors Will Rise Under New Regulation
Primary care doctors could get a pay raise next year for treating Medicaid patients, under a rule announced by the Obama administration Wednesday. ... The pay raise is one of several attempts in the law to address a fundamental challenge in U.S. health-care: Because primary care doctors focus on preventive care, they offer the best hope of curbing the nation's health spending. Yet they are paid far less than specialists (Aizenman, 5/9).

The Associated Press: Pay Boost For Doctors Treating Low-Income Patients
But it may not last long. The boost under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is good only for the next two years, even if the Supreme Court upholds the law (5/9).

Modern Healthcare: Primary-Care Docs To See Increase In Medicaid Rates
The provision, released Wednesday, would increase average Medicaid primary care payments by 34%, according to one estimate cited by CMS (Daly, 5/9).

The Hill: HHS: Health Law To Raise Medicaid Service Fees
Acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Marilyn Tavenner noted that the payment increase will help prepare primary care networks for "increased enrollment as the healthcare law is implemented" (Viebeck, 5/9).

National Journal: HHS To Send States $11 Billion For Medicaid Pay Rise
"It's nonsensical to think a temporary, two-year bump in pay will actually attract and retain doctors to the Medicaid program unless the White House thinks Congress will keep extending these higher payment rates in perpetuity," grumbled Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who is ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee (Fox, 5/9).

Medscape: Medicaid Raise For Primary Care Could Include Subspecialists
Medicaid managed care plans that contract with states also are obligated to pay out the extra money. Physicians working in Federally Qualified Health Centers or Rural Health Clinics would not receive the raise, however. If Congress does not avert a 30% cut to Medicare reimbursement scheduled for 2013, Medicaid rates would be raised to Medicare rates that were effective in 2009. The federal government would give state Medicaid programs 100% of the funds needed to make the raise possible in 2013 and 2014 (Lowes, 5/9). 

MedPage Today: Medicaid Pay Going Up For Primary Care
Although Medicaid rates vary from state to state, they are generally about 66% of Medicare rates for the same service, although in some they're just a third, according Roland Goertz, MD, chairman of the board of the American Academy of Family Physicians (Walker, 5/9). 

Politico Pro: Medicaid Payment Rule Leaves Out OB-GYNs
Pediatricians and their sub-specialists would be allowed to recoup higher Medicaid payments that are on par with Medicare rates -; but obstetricians are barred from doing so -; under a closely watched payment rule released by CMS on Wednesday (Dobias, 5/9).