Physicians, Large Employers Look At Medical Home System To Curb Health Care Costs

Health Care Costs

Somephysicians and large employers in the U.S. have been looking at apatient-centered medical home system to help reduce health care costs, the Wichita Eagle reports. Under the model, primarycare physicians become the hub for care coordination, "taking personalresponsibility and accountability for the ongoing care of patients,"according to the Eagle.

Rick Kellerman, chair of the American Academy of FamilyPhysicians board,said that the system saves money and improves care by reducing duplicate andunnecessary tests and procedures. Some states have been testing the model byusing it for their Medicaid programs.

This month, the Patient-Centered Primary CareCollaborative -- acollaborative of more than 50 physicians, large employers, consumer groups andsome insurers that advocate for the medical home system -- held its first"call-to-arms summit," the Eagle reports. According tothe Eagle, the system has less to do with government regulationand more to do with the structure of insurance reimbursement and how PCPs arepaid.

Under a medical home model, the payment system between insurers and providersis not capped so the patients do not feel like their insurance reimbursementrates determine their care, Kellerman said. Kellerman added that the U.S. has "a system that totally devaluesprimary care," adding, "(It) is very uncoordinated ... and it doesnot emphasize preventive services" (Atwater,Wichita Eagle, 11/25).

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