Has managed care affected physicians' income?

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Int. J. Public Policy, Vol. 6, Nos. 3/4, 2010 237

Has managed care affected physicians’ income?

Bill B.L. Wang*

Department of Health Administration, Asia University,

500, Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan E-mail: biwang.tw@hotmail.com

*Corresponding author

Thomas T.H. Wan

Doctoral Program in Public Affairs, College of Health and Public Affairs, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA E-mail: twan@mail.ucf.edu

Shufeng Shi

Department of Nursing,

National Defense Medical Center, 161, Section 6, Min-Chuan East Road, Taipei, 114, Taiwan

E-mail: fennyshi@ndmctsgh.edu.tw

Blossom Yen-Ju Lin

School and Graduate Institute of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health,

China Medical University,

91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan E-mail: yenju1115@hotmail.com

Abstract: A nationally representative sample of 12,280 physicians was selected to investigate physician practices in 60 randomly selected communities. Multivariate analyses demonstrate that the more the physicians accept Medicare managed care patients, private or commercial insurance plans including managed care plans and the number of contracted managed care plans, the greater the physician’s income. The prevailing concern that physician income declines under managed care is not supported. On the contrary, physicians participating in managed care have earned more than their counterparts.

Keywords: income difference; managed care; physician practice.