Race to the Bottom? --> AMA Webinar --> Innovative Payment and Delivery Models: Pathways for Physician Success

[Guest guest]

The thing I don't understand about some of the suggestions out there in how to reform health care economics is this.Many talk about the idea of a pie of money and how if we just did A or B, then we would save money and there would be money left over to pay the docs more.

But if there is money left over this year -- won't the insurances just look at that as paying the docs too much and make the pie smaller next year -- and the next -- and the next, etc?Sort of a race to the bottom?

Or at least a race to smaller and smaller margins.CEO -- gee doctors, you gave great care for $100 this year and had $20 left over. Awesome.So next year, you should be able to do the same work for $90, $80, $70.

Why would the big insurance companies leave money on the table every year?They have stockholders to impress.When dealing with the insurers, isn't it Zero Sum?If there is money left over due to good management - they want it.

And will continually cut prices each year.I'm not sure I understand how this will work.I understand the concept -- I just don't see how it plays out over the long term without insurances continually screwing down the pot of money.

Just some rambling thoughts.And that piece you see there...not yours.

Locke, MD