Archives
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Independent physicians are disappearing and communities suffer for it
By Christopher Crow, MD, MBA
Every six months, leaders and physicians in the Catalyst Health Network—independent physicians all—get together to talk over what’s going on in our network and in health care generally. They’re great meetings. I always leave fired up about our work and I think my fellow physicians do, too.
These convenings are especially encouraging at this time when there is so much pressure on physicians to join big hospital systems and affiliated medical groups. Such mergers are driving health care economics in Texas and across the country — and they’re creating big problems for patients, physicians, and communities.
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Looking ahead to 2020—Seeking clarity in a cloud of change and disruption
By Tom Banning
TAFP CEOMomentum continues to grow for value-based payment initiatives and other alternative payment models to fee for service. According to a report from the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network, 34% of all U.S. health care payments in 2017 were tied to the value of care delivered, up from 23% in 2015.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has led the charge toward value-based payment models, through various programs that design, pilot, and reward providers’ participation in them–pay for performance, Medicare Shared Savings ACOs, bundled payments, etc. Additionally, Medicare Advantage participation continues to grow and flourish. Commercial insurers are also beginning to aggressively drive payment models away from fee for service toward total cost of care, capitation, and value-based payments through exclusive provider or narrow networks.
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President's Letter
Private practice: Are we approaching the end of the road?
By Rebecca Hart, MD
TAFP PresidentIs private practice obsolete? Can it be saved, and if so, who will save it?
Such questions dog many of our colleagues in family medicine. We struggle to keep small businesses thriving amid ever-increasing administrative hassles and expenses. All the while, disruptive new market entrants threaten to upend the mores and norms we’ve always known.
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Funded delegate spots and scholarships available for NCCL and ACLF
Each year, AAFP holds the National Conference of Constituency Leaders and Annual Chapter Leader Forum together in Kansas City, Missouri. NCCL representatives and ACLF attendees from across the nation gather to discuss various issues, suggest policies and programs to AAFP, and receive leadership training. In 2020, the conferences will be held April 23-25 and TAFP is looking for members to serve on the delegation or apply for scholarships to attend.
TAFP opportunities for NCCL
Spots are available for 10 TAFP members to represent each of the five constituencies: new physicians (physicians who have been out of residency for seven years or fewer), women, minorities, international medical graduates, and LGBT physicians. TAFP reimburses up to $1,200 for expenses for each of the five delegate and five alternate delegates. In addition, TAFP offers two other opportunities to attend NCCL with funding. These scholarships will be awarded to one third-year resident and one minority physician.Interested? Please send a current curriculum vitae and a statement of intent to Jonathan Nelson at jnelson@tafp.org by Friday, Dec. 20, 2019. Be sure to let him know which constituency or constituencies you would like to represent.
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