Quote:
Originally Posted by m3racer
capitation= lower reimbursement (ie. contracted fees) for higher volume of patients
fee for service= being out of network and being compensated your usual customary fee
It's really a no-brainer for docs. I have yet to meet anyone in the health care field that would opt for seeing cap pts vs fee for service pts.
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I don't want to steer this thread the wrong way so I'll just comment briefly.
Respectfully, "lower" and "higher" are relative terms and are dependent on the contract and what the individual physician considers to be "customary".
Both models incent physicians to reduce exam time to increase profits, but the difference is that capitation promotes prevention while FFS promotes treatment.
To rebut your assertion, I have worked with hundreds of physicians who prefer capitation over FFS. The main rationale for those physicians is that they do not want to feel like an assembly line.
Additionally, FFS does not necessarily imply customary fees. Sometimes you will receive lower than the customary fees and be forced to accept those as payment in full.
This article addresses some of the highlights:
How should we pay doctors? A systematic review of salary payments and their effect on doctor behaviour -- Gosden et al. 92 (1): 47 -- QJM
I really have no preference either way. I was simply rebutting your arguments. Comments?