Health Affairs
Vol. 28, Issue 5, Pages 1327-1335
September/October 2009
ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Authors
See citation below for complete author information.
John D. MacArthur Research Professor of Health Policy and Management
Ethel Zimmerman Wiener Professor of Public Policy, ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø; Henry and Allison McCance Professor of Business Administration, HBS
Abstract
Spending on health care in markets with a larger percentage of primary care physicians (PCPs) is lower at any point in time than is true in other markets. The relationship between physician workforce composition and the rate of spending growth is less clear. This analysis of market-level Medicare spending data between 1995 and 2005 reveals that the proportion of PCPs is not associated with spending growth. Additional research is needed before the potential causal impact of PCPs can be fully assessed. However, these findings suggest that changes in the composition of the physician workforce will not be sufficient to address spending growth.
Citation
Chernew, Michael E., Lindsay Sabik, Amitabh Chandra, and Joseph P. Newhouse. "Would Having More Primary Care Doctors Cut Health Spending Growth?" Health Affairs 28.5 (September/October 2009): 1327-1335.