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.
Division of General Medical Sciences, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine,  St. Louis, USA.
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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