Paying Practices Based on Provider Performance Unfair to Those Treating Low-Income Patients, Panel Says

Federal health policies that aim to financially reward or penalize providers based on the quality of care they provide patients might be fundamentally flawed because they do not make allowances for "sociodemographic factors," according to a 26-member expert panel created by the not-for-profit National Quality Forum. Specifically, the panel found that current payment policies unintentionally penalize providers who treat a high rate of low-income patients by failing to account for the difficulties of treating such patients successfully.

• "Health Law's Pay Policy Is Skewed, Panel Finds" (Pear, New York Times, 4/27).