The Medicare program is facing a challenge in reducing healthcare costs for patients. One solution that has garnered bipartisan attention is site-neutral payments for outpatient services. This approach involves Medicare paying the same amount for a service, regardless of where it is provided. This differs from the current policy of paying higher rates for services in hospital outpatient departments compared to independent physician offices and ambulatory surgical centers.
A panel of experts will discuss the concept of site-neutral payments on Monday, June 17 at Noon ET. Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy, will moderate the 45-minute discussion. The panelists include Zack Cooper, an Associate Professor at Yale University in Public Health and Economics; Zachary Levinson, a Project Director for KFF’s Project on Hospital Costs; and Ashley Thompson, the Senior Vice President for Public Policy Analysis and Development at the American Hospital Association.
The Health Wonk Shop series by KFF aims to provide in-depth policy discussions with experts that offer greater insights beyond the news headlines. In this discussion, policymakers and private payers like insurers and employers will delve into why site-neutral payments have become an important issue and how Medicare payments currently work. They will also discuss different proposals to change the law and explore their potential impact on healthcare costs.
