Modernizing The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: What Problem Are We Trying to Solve?

A new Health Affairs Forefront article by UW Department of Surgery’s Dr. Christopher Childers, assistant professor in the Division of General Surgery, examines a central question shaping Medicare policy: what problem the physician fee schedule is actually designed to solve. As policymakers pursue updates intended to improve efficiency and control costs, Dr. Childers and his colleagues explore whether current assumptions about physician work, service valuation, and healthcare delivery align with real-world clinical practice. His analysis highlights the broader implications these payment reforms could have for surgeons, patients, and the sustainability of the healthcare system.

Read the full Health Affairs Forefront article on modernizing the Medicare physician fee schedule