Highmark revealed plans May 3 to increase financial incentives to primary care physicians who accurately complete documentation on a higher percentage of patients covered by Highmark’s Medicare Advantage and Affordable Care Act plans. The plan is worth as much as $5.5 million, according to TribLive.
News of the incentive program came after the insurer implemented a 4.5 percent cut in reimbursement levels to physicians who treat patients with coverage purchased on the ACA exchanges.
“To Highmark, this looks like progress. To physicians, it is a limited solution for a much larger problem,” Dr. Shapiro said about the incentive program in an official statement. Dr. Shapiro added the program will likely increase administrative burdens for busy physician practices and excludes specialists, who also experienced rate cuts, from participating.
Highmark spokesperson Aaron Billger said in an official statement, “We stand by our commitment to independent physicians and our new program, which will support primary care providers in their critical work of taking care of patients.”
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