Pay-For-Performance Program Seeks Higher Doctor Bonuses
Seven California health plans in 2006 paid a combined total of $55 million to physician groups participating in the Integrated Healthcare Association's pay-for-performance program, the San Francisco Business Times reports. The total has increased by less than 2% since 2005.
The program was created in 2003 by Oakland-based IHA to improve the quality of medical groups and customer service.
Ron Bangasser -- director of external affairs and a physician at Beaver Medical Group, an IHA member -- said the bonuses represent about 1% to 2% of the average physician's reimbursement. IHA aims to increase the bonuses to 5% to 10%.
Steve McDermott -- CEO of Hill Physicians Medical Group -- said that he is not satisfied with the program's current bonus payments but that IHA currently is studying new efficiency measures to make the program more appealing to health plans.
Approximately 35,000 physicians in 210 medical groups are eligible for the program. Bonus payments for the groups have totaled about $145 million since the program began. Participating health plans also award separate bonuses to medical groups based on their own criteria, according to IHA.
Participating health plans last year included:
- Aetna;
- Blue Cross of California;
- Blue Shield of California;
- CIGNA;
- Health Net of California;
- PacifiCare; and
- Western Health Advantage (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 2/14).