Physician-owned hospitals lead in value-based purchasing, Physicians Hospitals of America says
Physician-owned hospitals are among seven of the top 10 hospitals receiving bonus payments, according to CMS figures.
For the fourth consecutive year, physician-owned hospitals are among the top performers in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services value-based purchasing program, according to Physicians Hospitals of America.
Though constituting less than 10 percent of the total number, physician-owned hospitals are among seven of the top 10 hospitals receiving bonus payments, according to CMS figures.
A physician-owned hospital has been the No. 1 hospital in the program from 2013 to 2016, with this year's top honor going to Patients' Hospital of Redding, California, according to the association.
Physician-owned hospitals also scored well on Medicare Shared Savings Program data released by CMS in August. Less than one-third of the accountable care organizations in the program received payouts, but many of those that did were owned by physicians.
[Also: Advocate blasts feds for keeping Medicare, Medicaid from physician-owned hospitals]
The Brookings Institution cited reasons for their success their ability to identify high-risk patients, increase clinical access and care management, and develop and track data, resulting in cost savings.
Physician Hospitals of America, which represents only about 70 health systems, has pushed to expand physician-owned hospitals, a move opposed by the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals.
Currently, physician-owned hospitals are restricted under the Affordable Care Act from expanding their capacity. The law also prohibits physicians from investing in struggling hospitals or opening new facilities.
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The ban was reasoned as a way to prevent physicians who owned hospitals from treating only those patients who needed services that had high profit margins, such as certain surgeries.
A bill in Congress would change existing law to allow physician-owned hospitals to expand.
Dr. Blake Curd, president of the Physician Hospitals of America, said the CMS results show the ban should be lifted.
"It's time for Congress to lift the restrictions on physician-owned hospitals so more patients can benefit from them," Curd said.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
