Physician Payment Reform Commission Calls For Phasing Out Stand-Alone Fee-For-Service Reimbursement

On March 4, 2013, the National Commission on Physician Payment Reform called for public and private health care payers in the United States to phase out stand-alone fee-for-service (FFS) reimbursements over the next five years. At the same time, the Commission noted that payers should transition to a blended reimbursement model that includes both FFS and fixed payments. The Commission released twelve recommendations to provide a five-year blueprint for transitioning to a blended payment system. The Commission was created by the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) to assess how physicians are paid and how pay . . .