Article Calls for Payment Reforms to Stabilize U.S. Hospital Emergency Departments

U.S. hospital emergency departments. The plan calls for immediate reimbursement reforms, adjustments to payment mechanisms, and long-term expansion of outpatient care.

Twenty percent of emergency physician services currently go unreimbursed. This rate exceeds that of any other medical specialty and places financial strain on emergency practices.

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule has reduced physician pay by 33 percent since 2001 after inflation adjustments. Proposals include adding inflation updates and avoiding further absolute cuts to the schedule.

Patient populations have grown older and more complex. Outpatient services have not expanded at the same rate, resulting in higher emergency department use for issues such as mental health care. Expanding access to primary care and behavioral health services could reduce some emergency visits.

A RAND study cited in the proposal documented the broader value emergency departments provide to health systems, primary care physicians, and public health agencies.