Patients' attitudes toward cost control bonuses for managed care physicians.
Physicians' cost containment incentives may create conflicts of interest. To understand how patients view these incentives, we interviewed 1,050 patients regarding a 10 percent cost control bonus and a combined cost control/quality bonus. Seventy-three percent said that the cost control bonus was a bad idea; 49 percent viewed the combined bonus more favorably than the cost control bonus; and 91 percent favored disclosure of bonuses. We conclude that patients find bonuses worrisome and favor their disclosure. A quality component reassures some, but not all, patients. Initiating a dialogue with patients about practicing medicine in an era of limited resources may help health plans and physicians to address patients' concerns.
Gallagher
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Division of General Medical Sciences, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine,  St. Louis, USA.
St Peter
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Chesney
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D001294:Attitude to Health; D003363:Cost Control / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010816:Physician Incentive Plans / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014481:United States