Comparing the Cost of Care Provided to Medicare Beneficiaries Assigned to Primary Care Nurse Practitioners and Physicians.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study is designed to assess the cost of services provided to Medicare beneficiaries by nurse practitioners (NPs) billing under their own National Provider Identification number as compared to primary care physicians (PCMDs).

Data source

Medicare Part A (inpatient) and Part B (office visit) claims for 2009-2010.

Study design

Retrospective cohort design using propensity score weighted regression.

Data extraction methods

Beneficiaries cared for by a random sample of NPs and primary care physicians.

Principal findings

After adjusting for demographic characteristics, geography, comorbidities, and the propensity to see an NP, Medicare evaluation and management payments for beneficiaries assigned to an NP were $207, or 29 percent, less than PCMD

SUBMITTER: Perloff J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4946030 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature