GEOGRAPHIC INEQUITY IN MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT – EFFECT OF GEOGRAPHIC PRACTICE COST INDICES ON PHYSICIAN REIMBURSEMENT AND PATIENT ACCESS

Health care reform, particularly Medicare reform, is a central issue in the 2008 presidential election. Candidates and voters are focused on issues related to fees and access to physician care. The Medicare system is divided into three main parts. Part A is primarily related to hospital insurance. Part B is primarily related to medical insurance. Part C provides alternatives to Medicare’s traditional benefits package, including Medicare Advantage, and Part D is related to drug coverage. The accompanying visual scholarship addresses issues specifically under Medicare Part B. It is designed to illustrate inequities associated with physician reimbursement and patient premiums as well as the access concerns that stem from those inequities. A longer article will explore potential legislative solutions. View More